A 66-year-old man who robbed banks, liquor stores, restaurants and convenience stores during a 2017 crime spree in Texarkana was sentenced Friday to 15 years in federal prison.
Troy Lee Ware appeared with Texarkana attorney Josh Potter before U.S. District Judge Robert Schroeder III for sentencing in the Eastern District of Texas, Texarkana Division, on Friday. Ware pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of bank robbery though he robbed a dozen businesses at gunpoint in Texarkana, Texas, and Texarkana, Arkansas, in 2017.
Schroeder assessed restitution in the case at $25,675.32. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Mack Noble said Ware’s crimes not only traumatized victims but put a community on edge as local and federal authorities investigated the crime spree.
Ware pleaded guilty to robbing Bancorp South in Texarkana, Texas, on Feb. 16, 2017. Multiple counts involving other robberies were dismissed at sentencing.
Robberies in Texas in 2017:
- Paradise Quick Stop Exxon located at 3400 New Boston Road in Texarkana, Texas on April 18, 2017;
- Papa John’s Pizza located at 403 State Line Ave. in Texarkana, Texas on April 22, 2017;
- The Tobacco Store located at 2806 New Boston Road, Texarkana, Texas on Dec. 18, 2017;
- Shamrock Gas Station and Convenience Store located at 824 Richmond Road, Texarkana on Dec. 23, 2017;
- Potato Patch restaurant located at 3815 N. State Line Ave., Texarkana on Dec. 23, 2017.
Robberies in Texarkana, Ark., in 2017:
- Bancorp South, located at 2200 N. State Line Ave., in Texarkana, Arkansas on Feb. 16, 2017;
- Fast & Low #2 Convenience Store located at 402 East Street, Texarkana, Arkansas on April 24, 2017;
- Exxon gas station and convenience store located at 2324 N. Stateline Ave. in Texarkana, Arkansas on June 9, 2017;
- Family Dollar store located at 1213 E. 9th Street in Texarkana, Arkansas on Oct. 24, 2017;
- Texas Liquor store located at 914 N. Stateline Ave. in Texarkana, Arkansas on Oct. 27, 2017;
- Stop & Shop convenience store located at 402 East Street in Texarkana, Arkansas on or about Dec. 9, 2017; and
- Bottle Shop liquor store located at 1224 N. Stateline Ave. in Texarkana, Arkansas on Dec. 12, 2017.
Shots were fired by Ware at one of the liquor store robberies. He agreed to forfeit the gun and ammunition in his possession at the time of his arrest.
Ware will be close to 80 years of age at the time of his release. He will be supervised by federal probation for three years at that time. Ware received credit for time served from the Jan. 24, 2018, date of his arrest. There is no parole from a federal prison sentence.
Texarkana attorney Josh Potter represented Ware.
