A Waynesboro man has been sentenced to over 26 years in federal prison for his involvement in a series of armed robberies across multiple counties in Georgia. The 24-year-old Cordell Cobb was convicted for ten commercial armed robberies and related firearms offenses, according to a statement from Acting U.S. Attorney Tara M. Lyons. The crimes took place between January and June of 2023, hitting businesses across Bulloch, Burke, Chatham, Emanuel, Glascock, Jenkins, and Ware Counties, as per the Department of Justice.
U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall handed down the 318-month sentence, which also includes a five-year term of supervised release and a restitution payment of $12,081 to the victimized businesses. Notably, Cobb pleaded guilty to ten counts of Interference With Commerce by Robbery and two counts of Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. It was further emphasized that there is no parole in the federal system, effectively guaranteeing that Cobb will likely serve the entirety of his sentence without the possibility to prematurely return to society.
The series of robberies perpetrated by Cobb saw him entering commercial establishments, brandishing weapons, and demanding money. Employees relinquished United States currency to avoid physical harm, a tactic which proved, until Cobb's capture, to be unhindered by the dangers it proposed. U.S. Attorney Lyons underscored the seriousness of the crimes and pointed to the strong coordinated effort among law enforcement agencies as instrumental in the prosecution of Cobb. GBI Director Chris Hosey echoed this sentiment, highlighting that “Communities across Georgia are safer today because of the tireless work of our local, state, and federal partner agencies in bringing this armed robber to justice,” a statement obtained by the Department of Justice.
Moreover, Thomas Crawford, acting assistant special agent in charge at ATF, commended the collective law enforcement efforts to bring Cobb to justice, expressing a unanimous message from the various agencies involved that armed robbery will never be tolerated lightly. This case is a part of the larger Operation Take Back America initiative, which aims to fully utilize the Department of Justice resources to combat the spread of illegal activities and to decisively protect our communities from violent crime.
The successful resolution of this case owes much to the coordination of multiple law enforcement agencies, including the ATF, GBI, CCPD, GCSO, JCSO, WPD, BCSO, and ECSO. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley R. Thompson and Henry W. Syms, Jr. led the prosecution for the United States. Questions regarding the case can be directed to the U.S. Attorney's Office at (912) 652-4422.
