Last of four defendants in convenience store robbery spree is sentenced

By Katie Visconti

Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014 | 5 p.m.

The last defendant from a convenience store robbery spree in April 2012 was sentenced to prison this week, said Daniel G. Bogden, U.S. attorney for the District of Nevada.

U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey sentenced Michael Hall, 28, on Monday to 16 years in prison and five years of supervised release.

Hall pleaded guilty Feb. 19 to four counts of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, officials said.

During all four Las Vegas robberies that occurred from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. April 6, 2012, Hall was the getaway driver. Delon Hunter, 18, William Bonaparte, 24, and Erica Bowden-Payne, 26, were also involved in the robbing spree and were sentenced to prison.

In each robbery, Bonaparte pretended to be a customer, and Hunter would point a handgun at him. Hunter would then threaten to shoot Bonaparte if the store employee did not give him money and other items, officials said.

A Metro Police officer witnessed the last robbery in progress near Cheyenne Road and Buffalo Drive and confronted the defendants as they left the store. The defendants fled in the getaway vehicle, leading officers on a high-speed chase. Their vehicle came to a stop near Tenaya Way and Rainbow Boulevard, where three of the defendants fled on foot. The fourth defendant, Bowden-Payne, stayed in the vehicle and was arrested. The other three defendants were arrested nearby.

“Fortunately more victims were spared and this robbery spree was terminated because of excellent police work," Bogden said in a statement.

The case was investigated by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force and Metro Police and prosecuted by Assistant U.S Attorney Cristina D. Silva. The case was also screened through the Southern Nevada Project Safe Neighborhood Task Force.