On November 21, 2016, Todd Erling Becker, 46, of Stuart, Florida, was convicted of committing and conspiring to commit fives robberies with a firearm at business located in Stuart, Vero Beach, and Orlando, Florida and Lexington, Kentucky.
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, Ken Mascara, Sheriff, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, William Snyder, Sheriff, Martin County Sheriff’s Office, Deryl Loar, Sheriff, Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, Jerry Demings, Sheriff, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and Mark Barnard, Police Chief, Lexington Police Department, Kentucky, made the announcement.
A federal jury in the Southern District of Florida convicted Becker of one count of conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate and foreign commerce, three counts of robbery affecting interstate commerce, and three counts of using a firearm in the furtherance of a crime of violence.
Becker faces a minimum of 57 years’ and a maximum of life imprisonment. Becker is scheduled to be sentenced on February 3, 2017 before U.S. District Judge Donald L. Graham.
According to the court record, including evidence presented at trial, between August 13, 2013 and August 21, 2014, Becker and various accomplices robbed four convenience stores catering to Latin communities in Stuart and Vero Beach, Florida and Lexington, Kentucky.
Additionally, Becker and an accomplice robbed a cash exchange business in Orlando, Florida.
On all five occasions, a disguised gunman entered the stores with a semi-automatic handgun and demanded money from the store clerks.
For four of the five robberies, Becker served as the lookout and the driver of the vehicle used to flee from the crime scenes. During the robbery in Vero Beach, Florida Becker entered the store with the gunman and bound the store clerk before fleeing.
During the robbery in Lexington, Kentucky, during business hours, the gunman entered the Latin market and demanded money while pointing his semi-automatic handgun at multiple customers, including young children.
The gunman fired two shots at employees. Shortly after the shots were fired, Becker drove to the location, picked up the gunman, and fled back to Florida.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, Martin County Sheriff’s Office, Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and Lexington Police Department in Kentucky.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Funk and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Butler.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
