A Lancaster man will serve up to 12 years in prison for robbing eight city stores, at gunpoint, over two months last year.
Rayvonne Perez-Acosta was 17 when he brandished a stolen gun to store employees, demanded money and fled with cash during the robberies between Jan. 6, 2018 and March 1, 2018.
Perez-Acosta was charged as an adult because a deadly weapon (the gun) was used in the robberies. A Lancaster County judge denied a motion to have the case tried in juvenile court.
Lancaster County Judge Jeffery Wright sentenced Perez-Acosta on Tuesday to 6 to 12 years in prison. Perez-Acosta pleaded guilty to eight counts of robbery and two firearms charges.
The robberies happened during the evening and late-night hours. Perez-Acosta displayed a gun in every store.
In one incident, am employee pulled a gun and Perez-Acosta fled. An hour later, Perez-Acosta robbed another store, striking a cashier.
Lancaster city police Detective Stanley Roache charged Perez-Acosta with these robberies:
- Jan. 6, 2018, at A&M Grocery, 45 New Dorwart St.
- Jan. 11, 2018, at A&M Grocery, 45 New Dorwart St.
- Jan. 23, 2018, at Gas Mart, 653 Columbia Ave.
- Jan. 27, 2018, at U.S. Gas Mart, 401 N. Lime St.
- Jan. 29, 2018, at Mangat Mini Mart, 629 W. Orange St.
- Feb. 15, 2018, at O&J Grocery, 121 E. Walnut St.
- Feb. 15, 2018, at U.S. Gas Mart, 401, N. Lime St.
- March 1, 2018, at Strawberry Grocery, 100 W. Strawberry St.
Judge Wright told Perez-Acosta he was lucky he or one of the clerks, or an innocent bystander, was not killed during the spree.
First Assistant District Attorney Travis S. Anderson prosecuted the case. Assistant District Attorney Caitlin Blazier, present for sentencing, stressed the impact the robberies had on the victims and the community.
Perez-Acosta was ordered to pay more than $2,800 in restitution.
MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @BrettHambright