A former Ohio man has received an additional sentence of over a decade and a half for his involvement in a series of pharmacy robberies in western Pennsylvania and the subsequent sale of the stolen drugs. This development marks a significant escalation in his punishment.
Abdulrahman Abdelaziz Jamea, formerly of Columbus, has been given an additional 17.5 years in prison by a Pittsburgh judge for a series of robberies that took place between 2018 and 2019. These robberies occurred in several locations, including Beaver, Bridgeville, Edinboro, Erie, and the Oakland area of Pittsburgh.
In March, Jamea was found guilty of multiple charges including three counts of armed pharmacy robbery, two counts of pharmacy robbery, conspiracy to commit armed pharmacy robbery, and conspiracy to possess controlled substances with the intent to distribute.
According to U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan, Jamea’s crime spree of armed robbery throughout western Pennsylvania endangered the lives of both pharmacy employees and innocent bystanders who were caught in the crossfire. The sole purpose of these dangerous acts was to steal prescription drugs, which were later sold on the streets by Jamea and his accomplices.
Jamea and his accomplices resorted to wielding firearms and issuing death threats to pharmacy employees in three of the robberies. Their aim was to obtain access to locked safes that contained highly addictive drugs, such as opioids and amphetamines.
Upon completing each robbery, Jamea and the rest of the group would travel back to Columbus, Ohio, to sell their loot to interested individuals and other dealers.
At the time of sentencing, the judge specifically noted that Jamea had held a pharmacy worker at gunpoint during a robbery in Edinboro, while his partner stole drugs from the safe.
Jamea has already been sentenced to over 40 years in prison for being convicted on eight counts of felony assault with a firearm. The sentences are set to run consecutively.
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