A San Antonio man has been handed down a sentence of 78 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to a spree of robberies at several national chain stores. James Anthony Kirkwood, 70, carried out the robbery using an Airsoft gun to intimidate workers into compliance, prosecutors said.
Over a brief period straddling late January and early February 2023, Kirkwood made his way through the city's retail outlets — hitting two Dollar General stores, two Dollar Trees, a PetSmart, and a Big Lots — and emerged with undisclosed spoils. At the time of his criminal tour, he was on state parole for a similar conviction, aggravated robbery. But on February 13, 2023, his run came to an end when authorities took him into custody.
According to court documents released by the Department of Justice, Kirkwood's use of what appeared to be a lethal weapon during his offenses ratcheted up the stakes, leading to his prosecution under the Hobbs Act — a federal statute commonly employed in cases where robbery or extortion interferes with interstate commerce.
The case was a joint investigatory effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the San Antonio Police Department, leading to Kirkwood's guilty plea in July 2024. Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman of the Western District of Texas, was charged with making the announcement of Kirkwood's sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Calve served on the prosecution team.
