Rankin County Toy Store Robber Sentenced To Forty Years In Prison
Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney John K. Bramlett, Jr., announced today that Erik Lamar Lewis was sentenced to 40 years for Armed Robbery of a Flowood toy store. Lewis has two prior felony convictions for armed robbery and will not be eligible for early release or parole. Lewis will serve the next 40 years day-for-day in the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
On October 27, 2017, Lewis entered a toy store in the Dogwood commercial area of Flowood, produced a gun and demanded money from the owner. The Flowood Police Department’s quick response and investigation recovered critical video surveillance of the individual and a description of the suspected get-away vehicle. On November 5, 2017, while on routine patrol a Flowood Police Officer spotted a vehicle matching the description in the Dogwood commercial area and investigated the vehicle.
The owner of the vehicle was determined to be Lewis who was a kitchen employee of an area restaurant. Lewis was located and detained. A search of the vehicle revealed items used during the robbery including the gun and clothing that matched the suspect in the video surveillance. Lewis was arrested. Law enforcement prepared a photo line up and the toy store owner positively identified Lewis as the robber. Enhanced still images of the robbery from the video surveillance also revealed is was Lewis. When questioned by Flowood Police Officers Lewis made several incriminating statements regarding the robbery.
District Attorney Bramlett stated, “Lewis is a violent criminal who will now spend his next forty years in prison. This was his third armed robbery; there won’t be a fourth. We will not tolerate violent criminals who prey upon our citizens.”
District Attorney Bramlett concluded, “I commend the outstanding work of the Flowood Police Department throughout the investigation and prosecution of this case. Their hard work resulted in a violent and habitual criminal being removed from our streets.”