Gregory Garcia sentenced for Armed Robbery under “Use a Gun and You Are Done”
MADERA – A Madera man who pointed a gun at a seven month baby was convicted by a jury of armed robbery with the use of a firearm on July 31, 2012 was sentenced today in the Madera Superior Court, announced Michael R. Keitz, District Attorney for Madera County.
Gregory Garcia, 54, of Madera had a previous felony record when he walked into a convenience store in Madera on August 23, 2011 and pointed a gun at the store clerk.
When the clerk did not respond quickly enough to Garcia’s demand for money, Garcia pointed the gun at the clerk’s seven month old infant daughter and threatened to shoot her. The clerk handed Garcia cash, and he ran from the store but was arrested the following day by the Madera County Sheriff’s Department. Garcia had been committed to California State Prison on five separate occasions for previous crimes.
Garcia was sentenced by the court to a total of 20 years and 8 months in State Prison, including an extra 10 years for the use of a firearm during the robbery, as provided by California’s “Use a Gun and You are Done” sentencing law.
“This sentencing statute is an important and effective component in our fight against violent crime in California,” said Keitz. The 1998 law, championed by Fresnan Mike Reynolds, adds 10 years to a sentence for anyone who uses a gun to commit a crime, 20 for anyone who fires the weapon, and 25 years to life for anyone who injures or kills a victim during the commission of a crime.
