Anchorage Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Using Craigslist to Setup Armed Robberies

 ANCHORAGE – An Anchorage man was sentenced to nine years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm during two separate armed robberies of Craigslist sellers. 

According to court records, on August 24, 2019, Cloyd Lacap Jr., 22, robbed two individuals at gun point after arranging to meet them for the supposed purpose of purchasing items each had listed for sale online.  

The first robbery took place in the parking lot of Balto Seppala Park in Anchorage where Lacap had arranged to meet the seller of a PlayStation gaming console. When the seller opened his trunk at the park to show the gaming console, Lacap pulled out a handgun, racked the slide and took the gaming console before leaving the park on foot.   

Later the same day, Lacap arranged to meet the seller of an iPhone in the parking lot of a restaurant in Anchorage’s Turnagain neighborhood. After arriving in an unidentified car, Lacap got in the back seat of the seller’s vehicle. When the seller showed him the smartphone, Lacap pointed a handgun at the victim, grabbed the phone and then exited the victim’s vehicle. Lacap left in the same vehicle that he arrived in.

Lacap was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2020 and later pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a firearm during a crime of violence. He has been detained without bail on his federal case since January 24, 2020. 

Prior to pleading guilty in this case, Lacap pleaded guilty in State of Alaska Superior Court case 3AN-19-05391CR to assault in the first degree and misconduct involving weapons in the first degree as part of a global plea agreement. Lacap’s guilty pleas in the state case were for his role in a May 2019 armed robbery in Anchorage. That case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Saritha Anjilvel. 

Acting U.S. Attorney Bryan Wilson for the District of Alaska; Special Agent-in-Charge Jonathan T. McPherson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Chief Justin Doll of the Anchorage Police Department made the announcement. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison O’Leary prosecuted the case. 

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone..