Sacramento jury finds man guilty of robbery, stealing aerial drone at gunpoint
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- A Sacramento County jury found LaRalph Choyce guilty of robbery in an aerial drone theft.
- Prosecutors said the robbery occurred last year when Choyce pointed a gun at the seller.
- Choyce has two previous robbery convictions and faces up to 35 years to life in prison.
A Sacramento County jury on Tuesday found a man guilty of robbery for stealing an aerial drone at gunpoint from someone trying to sell the drone, prosecutors said.
LaRalph Choyce, 34, was convicted of the robbery that occurred last summer at an elementary school, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office announced Thursday in a news release.
On June 19, Choyce met at the elementary school in Sacramento County with someone selling the drone. Prosecutors said Choyce met at the school to buy the drone.
After flying the drone, Choyce brandished a gun and pointed the firearm at the seller before taking the drone and leaving in a vehicle, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors said authorities found Choyce hiding in the closet of a nearby home. They also said Choyce’s vehicle was found parked outside that home, and authorities found the stolen drone inside the vehicle’s trunk.
Choyce has two previous robbery convictions that are considered strikes under California’s “Three Strikes” law, according to the DA’s Office.
Prosecutors said Choyce faces a maximum sentence of 35 years to life in prison. On Thursday, Choyce remained in custody at the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center near Elk Grove. He is scheduled to return for his sentencing hearing Aug. 14 in Sacramento Superior Court.
