Final Robber Sentenced in Armed Robbery of Charley’s Steakhouse

TAMPA – United States Attorney Robert E. O’Neill announces that Osvaldo Yasel Martinez (27, Tampa) was sentenced today by United States District Judge Steven D. Merryday, for 2010 armed robbery of Charley's Steakhouse in Tampa. Martinez, was sentenced to 17 years and four months in federal prison.

According to court documents, on October 18, 2010, an armed robbery occurred at Charley’s Steakhouse after it had closed for the evening. The robbery had been planned by Edgar Colon, who worked at Charley’s as a dishwasher, Rogelio Torres, who had also worked at the restaurant, Kyle Anthony Larson, and Martinez. Colon had worked the night of the robbery, and had updated the others as to the situation in the restaurant prior to the robbery. He left shortly before the robbery occurred.

Larson and Martinez entered the restaurant to commit the robbery. Larson was armed with a firearm and Martinez was armed with a knife. After assaulting employees of the restaurant and robbing them, Larson and Martinez ran out of the restaurant with the stolen money and got into a vehicle driven by Torres. Tampa Police officers quickly responded to the scene and took chase as Martinez and Larson jumped into the waiting vehicle. The vehicle Torres was ultimately stopped on the Howard Frankland Bridge, where Torres and Martinez were immediately arrested. Larson, who fled from the vehicle andjumped into Tampa Bay, was later pulled from the water and arrested. A Tampa Police Department diver recovered a bag containing the proceeds of the robbery. The loaded firearm and hunting knife used during the robbery were recovered in the getaway vehicle. Colon was arrested a short time later after it was learned that he had helped plan the robbery.

On August 29, 2011, Rogelio Torres (26, Tampa) was sentenced to 11 years and nine months in federal prison and Edgar Colon (22, Tampa) was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison. On September 26, 2011, Kyle Anthony Larson (21, Tampa) was sentenced to 25 years and nine months in federal prison.

This case was investigated by TampaPolice Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Colleen Murphy Davis.

This is another case prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” program – a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy led by ATF. United States Attorney Robert E. O’Neill, along with Virginia O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, is coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.