Two armed robbers from Fort Pierce have been handed stiff sentences by a Miami federal judge after their violent crime spree was cut short. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida, 21-year-old Eugene Jacques will spend the next 121 months behind bars, while accomplice Roderick Anthony Baker, 23, faces 87 months in prison. Both will be under supervised release for three years following their prison terms.
In a detailed account of the robbery, the prosecution described how, early in the morning of April 24, 2023, the duo stormed a gas station and food mart. Swinging a handgun and striking the victim, Jacques demanded money while Baker backed him up. Together, they made off with about $4,200 from the cash register and a small box. Arrested within days of each other in early May, the pair were swiftly brought to justice.
U.S. District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg imposed the sentences on January 12, which also included a penalty for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence – a charge stemming from Jacques threatening the victim with a gun to her face. Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the ATF's Miami Field Division and Fort Pierce Police Department Chief Diane Hobley-Burney were among the law enforcement officials who hailed the sentencing as a victory for community safety.
The investigation was a collaborative effort by the ATF Fort Pierce Field Office and the Fort Pierce Police Department, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Porter leading the prosecution. This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative that marshals various levels of law enforcement and community resources to tackle violent crime. Thriving under a renewed mandate since 2017, PSN has focused on directing U.S. Attorney's Offices to devise and implement localized strategies to diminish violent criminal activities.
