A federal judge in Austin on Thursday handed a 24-year sentence to a Kyle man who admitted to a summer robbery spree targeting small food and convenience businesses in the city. Prosecutors say 39-year-old Yael Williams used a .22-caliber revolver in holdups at a Subway restaurant and two 7-Eleven locations, and opened fire on bystanders during one of the crimes. The punishment comes out to 288 months in federal prison.
U.S. attorney frames sentence as deterrent
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons cast the outcome as a clear warning to anyone thinking about pulling a gun in the region. "When you pull a gun on someone in this district, you will face serious consequences," Simmons said in announcing the sentence.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Williams received the 288-month term after pleading guilty to federal firearm counts tied to the Austin robberies.
Background and charges
Williams was originally indicted on charges alleging three Hobbs Act robberies and multiple weapons offenses connected to incidents in June and July 2025. He later entered a November guilty plea to one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Local coverage followed the case from indictment to plea; earlier reporting on Williams pleading guilty and facing 24 years laid out the federal exposure he was up against.
How the robberies unfolded
Court records and the sentencing announcement state that Williams threatened store employees with a .22-caliber revolver during the holdups. In the Subway robbery, he fired several shots at two bystanders who tried to step in, according to prosecutors.
Investigators with the Austin Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives led the case, handling the probe and assisting with the federal prosecution. Those details are included in the U.S. Attorney's Office sentencing release.
Legal implications
Prosecutors noted that the firearms counts Williams admitted to carry steep mandatory penalties under federal law. The plea agreement locked in a 24-year mandatory minimum, and the judge ultimately matched that floor when imposing the sentence, local outlets reported.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Buie prosecuted the case in Austin, according to FOX 7 Austin. Officials said the outcome highlights how federal statutes can significantly increase prison time when robberies involve firearms and put bystanders in the line of fire.
With sentencing complete, Williams will serve his term in federal custody. Prosecutors and investigators say they will continue to pursue leads in violent robbery cases across the district, emphasizing the use of federal charges when guns are used to terrorize workers at small neighborhood businesses.
