HARRISBURG, Pa. — A central Pennsylvania man has been sentenced to over 19 years in prison following his conviction for robberies of businesses engaged in interstate commerce.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced Friday that U.S. District Judge Christopher C. Conner sentenced Kyle Jaden Morales, 21, from Harrisburg to 230 months in prison.
Morales was found guilty of robbing businesses engaged in interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery), bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Morales previously pleaded guilty to these offenses, which involved Morales' robberies of McDonald's restaurants, Sheetz convenience stores and United Bank of Mach 2022 during a 12-day crime spree in Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
According to an indictment filed in March of 2022, on March 10, 2022, Morales entered a Sheetz convenience store in Dauphin County, approached the cashier, brandished a 9mm black handgun with a gold barrel and fluted slide, instructed the cashier to open the cash drawers, and took the cash using actual and threatened force, violence, and fear of injury.
The indictment further stated that on March 22, 2022, Morales possessed two loaded firearms – the un-serialized 9mm pistol used during the March 10, 2022, robbery, along with a 9mm Taurus G2c pistol.
Judge Conner also ordered Morales to pay $5,094 in restitution to the McDonald's Corporation, Sheetz and United Bank, to pay a special assessment of $400 and to serve five years of supervised release after he completes his prison sentence.
