An Otay Mesa man was sentenced June 8 to 85 years in federal prison for robbing stores in Paradise Hills, Otay Mesa, and elsewhere.
A judge ordered Juan Marquis Holiday, 27, to pay $7,420 in restitution to all 10 stores which included the Apollo Market, 2327 Reo Drive, in Paradise Hills, which was robbed on April 20, 2017.
The 5-month robbery series began at the Arco service station at 3724 Del Sol Boulevard in Otay Mesa on Jan. 5, 2017. Eight other robberies occurred in San Diego, Spring Valley, and La Mesa.
The case was in federal court because it involved interstate commerce, as the FBI had jurisdiction under the Hobbs Act to investigate violent criminal acts, said Omer Meisel, acting special agent for the San Diego division of the FBI.
“Today the victims of this terrifying crime spree can begin to heal knowing that justice has been delivered,” said Meisel.
U. S. District Court Judge Anthony Battaglia sentenced Holiday to 85 years and 10 months in prison for interfering with commerce by threats of violence, brandishing a firearm, and discharging a gun during a violent crime.
Battaglia said the crimes were “violent and aggressive” which “caused fear in the hearts of victims.”
The 12 victims testified they either had shots fired near their heads, were pistol whipped, kicked or beaten.
“The community should not and will not tolerate this type of physical violence and misbehavior,” said Battaglia.
A jury convicted of all 20 counts on March 11 after deliberating about a day. He could have received life in prison.
“The many victims of these robberies will forever live with the emotional scars of being threatened with a firearm,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer afterwards.
“We are gratified that (this) sentence recognizes the pain and suffering this defendant inflicted on our community,” added Brewer.
Holiday’s attorney, Doug Brown, urged a sentence ranging from 87 to 108 months in prison.
Holiday was arrested after San Diego Police got a call of a man hitting a child in a blue Jaguar in Otay Mesa. Police went to the home and found evidence of the robberies, according to court records.
A co-defendant, Don Wayne Jones III, pleaded guilty in 2018 and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
