Armed Robbery

Armed Robbery Criminal Defense Attorney

In Massachusetts, armed robbery (Massachusetts General Laws chapter 265, section 17) is a crime that is punishable by life in prison. When a person is charged with a crime that carries a punishment of life in prison, a possible outcome can be staying behind bars until a parole board allows release — if ever. What is more, the punishment can be any amount of time, even longer than “life.”

For instance, if a person is convicted of armed robbery and punished to “life,” they may be eligible for parole after fifteen years in prison. That same person could be punished to thirty to fifty years for the same offense, effectively double the amount that a person sentenced to life would receive. There is no greater potential exposure than when you are charged (or indicted) for a life felony. As there is no greater exposure, there is no better reason to hire experienced armed robbery defense attorneys Murat Erkan and Ryan Sullivan.

What is an Armed Robbery

So what is armed robbery? To find a person guilty, the prosecutor is required to prove that:

1. the person was armed with a dangerous weapon;
2. the person either used force against the victim or put the victim in fear;
3. the person took something of value with the intent to steal; and
4. the item of value was taken from the immediate control of the victim.

Masked Armed Robbery

There are additional punishments for a person who is “masked or disguised or while having his features artificially distorted” who commits an armed robbery. This is – somewhat obviously – known as masked armed robbery. The prosecutor has to prove the same facts as above, but is also required to prove:

1. the person committed the armed robbery while masked or disguised or while having his or her features artificially distorted.

For a person convicted of a first offense masked armed robbery, the punishment requires a minimum five years in prison. A person is convicted of a second offense of masked armed robbery is punished by a minimum of ten years in state prison.

Armed Robbery With Firearm

A person who is convicted of armed robbery “while armed with a firearm, shotgun, rife, machine gun or assault weapon” is punished by a minimum of five years in prison. A conviction for second offense armed robbery using a firearm, shotgun, rifle, machine gun or assault weapon carries a minimum punishment of fifteen years in state prison.

Call Armed Robbery Defense Attorneys Erkan & Sullivan Today

Attorneys Erkan and Sullivan have handled several armed robbery cases in Massachusetts Superior Courts. Notably, Attorney Sullivan tried a second offense masked armed robbery case in the Lowell Superior Court in May of 2018. To learn more about this trial, which resulted in a not guilty finding, you can click here. If you are charged with, or under investigation for, an armed robbery charge, contact Erkan & Sullivan today at (978) 474-0054 or e-mail us today.