East Bay Duo Arrested for Robbery for Online Escort Ads (CA Penal Code 211)

A man and woman (24 and 20) from East Bay have recently been arrested for their suspected part in the robbery of at least one individual who answered an online ad for an escort.  The couple allegedly worked together to rob unsuspecting men after luring them with the promise of sexual intercourse.  They were arrested after one of their supposed victims began to get suspicious and sprayed one of the couple with pepper spray.  Charges of second-degree robbery followed for both.

In California, the crime of robbery is considered a felony (CA Penal Code 211).  What remains to be determined by prosecutors is the ‘degree’ of the robbery.  When one individual uses some type of force or fear in order to take personal property directly from another individual, a robbery has taken place.  A so-called ‘first degree’ robbery is said to have occurred when the unlawful taking of property occurs at an ATM, involves public transportation, or happens in a residence or other inhabited building.  A second-degree robbery is a robbery that occurs in any other situation or at any other site.

State penalties for second-degree robbery are harsh.  Anyone convicted of this crime can expect to be subjected to felony probation.  They should also expect to spend anywhere from 2-5 years in state prison and to pay up to $10,000 in fines.  If injuries are caused or if the robbery involves a firearm, there may be additional sentencing enhancements to consider which could greatly lengthen a person’s prison term.