Man sentenced in theft of Lakeland gun stores - News - The Ledger
Suzie Schottelkotte @southpolkscene
TAMPA – A federal judge sentenced a Tampa man to 30 months in prison Tuesday for stealing firearms from two Lakeland gun stores in January.
Oscar Garcia Garcia , 33, pleaded guilty to the thefts in May. A warrant has been issued for his co-defendant, Jerry Nelson Reyes Torres , on an indictment for stealing firearms and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to a Justice Department press release .
Court documents say Garcia and Torres burglarized Rapture Guns and Knives, 8216 U.S. 98 N., on Jan. 9, and broke into Guns Galore, 2440 U.S. 92 East, 20 days later. In total, 104 firearms were taken.
The men dismantled the lock on the front door to gain access to each store, then broke the display cases and loaded the firearms into duffel bags before leaving in a vehicle outside, the press release states .
The following month, law officers detained Garcia and another man after witnessing them smoking ma...