Federal Jury Convicts West Jordan Man of Three Robberies, Firearms Violations

SALT LAKE CITY — Ramon Rivera, age 25, of West Jordan, charged in connection with robberies of three businesses in Layton, Clinton, and Sunset, has been found guilty of the charges following a three-day trial in federal court in Salt Lake City. The jury deliberated about four hours Wednesday before finding Rivera guilty on all counts charged.

Rivera was charged in an eight-count federal indictment returned in November with three counts of robbery – charged as a violation of the federal Hobbs Act; three counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence; one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; and one count of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

He was convicted of an Aug. 1, 2009, robbery of a Family Dollar store in Layton; an Aug. 17, 2009, robbery of a Family Dollar in Clinton; and an Aug. 20, 2009, robbery of Central Park in Sunset.

Rivera faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each robbery conviction and up to 10 years in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. He faces 57 years of mandatory minimum time in federal prison for brandishing a firearm during the commission of violent crimes, which will run consecutive (stack) at the end of the sentence he receives for the robberies and other firearms convictions. (The first count of brandishing a firearm is seven years; each subsequent count is 25 years.)

Sentencing in the case is set for Jan. 6, 2010, at 2:30 p.m. in U.S. District Judge Dee Benson’s courtroom.

Agencies contributing to the investigation of the case include Clearfield, Layton, Clinton and Sunset police departments; the Davis County Sheriff’s Office; and the ATF.