Two men have been sentenced for their part in an attempted illegal gambling house robbery in Sacramento, with one receiving 301 years to life.
The defendants, Eddie Lee White and John Edward Blount, were prosecuted by Jordan Avey of the Major Crimes Unit.
They faced charges, including six counts of robbery and three counts of attempted robbery, stemming from an armed raid of a location hosting illegal gambling activity.
Garage gambling theft case reaches sentencing
The case was brought forward by the investigative efforts of the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, and points to the prosecution of both men who attempted the firearms raid on the gambling den in 2018.
A woman at the residence called 911 at 1:20 a.m. Monday, reporting armed men in the garage at her home on the 3700 block of 42nd Avenue.
“The men demanded money and other items from people playing cards and possibly gambling in the garage,” the woman said. She was watching the robbery take place from another part of the home via a video surveillance system.
The location was a garage attached to the south Sacramento home, and the defendants approached the gamblers, demanding valuables whilst brandishing weapons.
Information from the case file showed physical assault evidence, and Blount and White were found guilty of hitting the residents with furniture in an attempt to relieve them of their belongings.
“Many of the victims were thrown to the ground, had furniture thrown at them, and were physically assaulted during the robbery. When deputies arrived on scene, the defendants fled into the neighborhood. They were later apprehended with many of the victims’ items in their pockets,” concluded the Sacramento court report.
Blount was also convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm. At sentencing, prior strike convictions for assault with a firearm and robbery were found true. Blount was sentenced to 301 years to life, while White received 40 years and eight months.
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