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Guam - Two men may be spending at least seven years in federal prison for robbing the Nana's store in Agana Heights.

Dedrick Jonathan Aguon and Balbino Leon Guerrero have pleaded guilty to Hobbs act robbery, for the armed robbery at Nana's store last September.

Leon Guerrero also pleaded guilty to brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence while Aguon pleaded to aiding and abetting the brandishing of a firearm. Leon Guerrero confessed to entering Nana's store and holding the cashier and owner at gunpoint as he demanded cash from the register.

A third defendant, Dwayne Joshua San Nicolas, was alleged to have robbed the store with Leon Guerrero. The cashier handed over $700 in cash. Aguon, according to court documents, waited outside the store with a getaway car. Jury selection and trial for San Nicolas will begin next Tuesday.

While Aguon and Leon Guerrero did not commit a crime on federal property or against a federal employee--justifying the federal prosecution--U.S.  attorneys were able to use the Hobbs Act against the men. The FBI in recent years, has used the Hobbs Act to be able to get armed robbers off the streets across the U.S.

It was initially an act designed to target racketeering and organized crime activities. But federal authorities have been able to use it successfully against armed robbers who victimize businesses since robberies and extortions have an impact on interstate commerce by using threatened violence. And since the defendants have pleaded guilty in federal court, Aguon and Leon Guerrero will have to serve out the full term of their sentences, which means no parole and no early out for good behavior. Both men face a minimum of seven years and up to life in prison. 

READ the release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in FULL below: 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NANA’S STORE ROBBERS ENTER GUILTY PLEAS

ALICIA A.G. LIMTIACO, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that on July 9, 2012, defendant Balbino K. Leon Guerrero pled guilty to Hobbs Act Robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. Section 1915(a) and to Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. Section 924(c)(1)(A) in the District Court of Guam. For the offense of Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, Leon Guerrero faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years and up to life imprisonment, consecutive to the punishment for the Hobbs Act Robbery offense which is punishable by up to ten years imprisonment.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office also announces that on July 12, 2012, defendant Dedrick Jonathan Aguon pled guilty to Hobbs Act Robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. Section 1915(a) and to Aiding and Abetting the Brandishing of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. Section 924(c)(1)(A) in the District Court of Guam.

For Aiding and Abetting the Brandishing of the Firearm During a Crime of Violence, Aguon faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years and up to life imprisonment, consecutive to the punishment for the Hobbs Act Robbery offense which is punishable by up to ten years imprisonment.
The convictions arise out of the September 8, 2011 armed robbery of a cashier at Nana’s Store in Agana Heights, Guam. The robbers, which include Balbino K. Leon Guerrero and Dedrick J. Aguon entered Nana’s Store in Agana Heights, pointed a firearm at the cashier and demanded money from the cash register. At gun point, the cashier handed over approximately $700 in currency to the defendants. Prior to leaving Nana’s Store, one
of the defendants discharged a firearm shooting a drink cooler. Balbino K. Leon Guerrero pointed the firearm directly at the cashier. Dedrick Jonathan Aguon provided his co-defendants with firearms, and acted as a get-away driver for his co-defendants.

The remaining defendant, Dwayne Joshua San Nicolas is scheduled for Jury Selection and Trial on July 17, 2012 in the District Court of Guam.

The goal of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is to make communities safer through the aggressive prosecution of firearm related offenses. U.S. Attorney Alicia A.G. Limtiaco states that “the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to the aggressive prosecution of violent crime in the District of Guam.” The U.S. Attorney credits the hard work of the Officers from the Guam Police Department and the Agents and Task Force Officers from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rosetta San Nicolas handled the case for the Government.