JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Four convicted robbers from Jacksonville will be serving federal prison time for their roles in a string of Dollar General heists that led to a shooting incident in the Brentwood neighborhood in May 2024.
Tresonda Benefield, 26, Nathanial Carter, 25, Jackeri Lewis, 28 and Jakeithiyan Daniel, 25, pleaded guilty last year, according to federal prosecutors.
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Benefield, Carter, and Lewis were each sentenced to 16 years and 1 month in federal prison, and Daniel was sentenced to 14 years and 6 months in federal prison.
They also have to pay back the money they stole.
Police said the four suspects used the same mode of operation for each robbery at a Dollar General on Main Street, Fort Caroline Road, Yellow Bluff Road and a store on Main Street in the Brentwood neighborhood.
The robberies took place between April 9 and May 1, 2024, officials said. Benefield, Carter and Lewis participated in all four robberies, while Daniel was involved in the last two.
MORE: Officer fires shot at suspected robbers leaving Brentwood dollar store, Jacksonville police say
Benefield kept an eye on each of the stores before the robberies and then drove the rest of the crew to the stores just before closing time.
Once the store employees began to lock up the store at night, the crew, wearing masks and brandishing firearms, approached the employees and demanded that they go back inside the store to unlock the safe.
The store employees were then forced to hand over the money inside the safe. The group collectively stole more than $11,000 from the four stores.
After one of the robbery incidents, there was a brief chase that led to an officer firing a shot at the getaway vehicle when one of the suspects raised a gun at him.
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Following the suspects’ arrest, police searched the vehicle. Officers said they found three guns believed to be used in all the robberies, ski masks, more than $3,500 in cash and stolen merchandise in the vehicle.
Investigators also said a search warrant served at two of the suspects’ homes led to the discovery of clothing worn by the suspects in a previous armed robbery, a box of latex gloves that matched the gloves worn in previous robberies and Dollar General bags.
No one was injured in the shooting or during the robberies.
Dollar General’s corporate office issued this statement about the robberies in 2024:
We are committed to providing a safe environment for employees and customers. We have invested in various security measures, as appropriate for each store. To protect the integrity of these measures, we do not publicly comment on their details. Additionally, we appreciate our ongoing and collaborative partnership with Jacksonville law enforcement.
Dollar General Spokesperson