A St. Johns County jury on Thursday convicted Matthew Justin Gilchrist of robbery with a firearm and possession of a firearm by a convicted in‑state felon, wrapping up a two‑day trial that centered on a 2020 stickup near the St. Augustine Premium Outlets. Prosecutors say a store clerk was ordered to kneel at gunpoint during the Dec. 21, 2020 holdup, and roughly $500 was taken. Because of Gilchrist's record, prosecutors say Florida's repeat‑offender laws could turn this outlet‑area robbery into a life‑behind‑bars sentence.
According to a press release from the State Attorney's Office, Seventh Judicial Circuit, prosecutors say Gilchrist walked up to the register with an item, pulled a handgun and demanded cash from both tills before taking off in a gray vehicle. The office credits investigators with piecing together surveillance footage, traffic‑camera video, license‑plate reader data and witness statements to identify him, and says they spotted similarities to a separate Jacksonville robbery that ultimately led to his arrest days later. “Gun violence will not be tolerated in our communities,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said in the release, adding that his office will seek “the maximum sentence.”
Inside the Case and the Evidence
The State Attorney's Office, Seventh Judicial Circuit lists the case number as CF2100079 and gives Gilchrist's date of birth as Aug. 11, 1995, noting that the trial ran for two days. Prosecutors say the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office led the investigation, and Assistant State Attorney Leah Owens tried the case for the state. The Honorable Christopher Ferebee presided over the proceedings and will impose sentence at a later date, according to the release.
Related Duval County Conviction
A separate press release from the Office of the State Attorney, Fourth Judicial Circuit shows that a Matthew Gilchrist was previously convicted in Duval County after related armed‑robbery incidents. That release describes similar clothing and a gray sedan that helped investigators zero in on him, leading them to recover his cellphone and the vehicle. Duval County prosecutors also sought enhanced penalties based on prior convictions and repeat‑offender status.
What the Repeat‑Offender Labels Could Mean
Prosecutors say Gilchrist meets the statutory criteria for both a Prison Releasee Reoffender and a Habitual Violent Felony Offender, labels that carry large, non‑parolable penalties under Florida law. Section 775.082(9) of the Florida Senate allows prosecutors to seek mandatory minimums for qualifying repeat offenders, while the habitual‑offender provisions in Section 775.084 on the Florida Senate site authorize additional sentence enhancements for violent repeat felons. If the state proves those designations at sentencing, judges have limited leeway and may be required to impose the statutorily mandated terms.
Sentencing has not yet been scheduled. The State Attorney's Office says the judge will set a date, and reiterates that the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office investigated the case. The office also posted the announcement on Facebook. For media inquiries, the release lists Haley Harrison as the public information officer for the State Attorney's Office.
