Man Sentenced for Double Robbery of Marijuana Store (Givens)

NEWS RELEASE –

May 25, 2018

Contact: Ken Lane, 720-913-9025

ONE MAN SENTENCED FOR DOUBLE ROBBERY OF SAME MARIJUANA STORE;

Another awaits sentencing; two more co-defendant cases continue

One of four men charged with marijuana store robberies pleaded guilty yesterday in Denver District Court and was immediately sentenced to prison.

Three men were charged last year for the July and August robberies of employees and customers of the same marijuana dispensary store and a fourth man was charged in connection with one of the robberies.

Tayone Givens (dob: 09-19-1996) pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated robbery (F3), one for each robbery, and was immediately sentenced to 12 and 10 years in prison, the sentences to run concurrently. Restitution will be determined at a later date.

Givens, Thomas Wilson (dob: 12-14-1994), and Myles Stephens (dob: 03-11-1989) were each charged with two counts of second degree kidnapping (F2), and two counts of aggravated robbery (F3), in connection with the July robbery.  Charges were filed in October and November 2017.

The charges alleged that on July 28, 2017, Givens, Wilson and Stephens robbed at gunpoint employees of the Green Dragon marijuana dispensary store in the 5100 block of E. Colfax, taking cash and marijuana products.

Givens, Wilson and Stephens were also charged with one count of aggravated robbery-controlled substance (F2), and two counts of first degree kidnapping (F2) in connection with the August robbery of the same store. Marrell Jones (dob: 10-31-1991), a fourth defendant in that robbery, was similarly charged.  Charges against all four for the August robbery were filed in August 2017.

The charges related to that robbery allege that on August 14, 2017, the defendants robbed at gunpoint employees of the Green Dragon, taking cash, marijuana products, and one victim’s backpack. A GPS tracker that was taken with the money enabled Denver police to apprehend the suspects.

Jones pleaded guilty in January to one count of robbery (F4) and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 2, 2018.

Stephens is scheduled for jury trials on June 25 and July 16 in his two cases.

Wilson is scheduled to next appear in court on July 6 for disposition hearings in connection with his two cases.

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