Las Vegas, NV (Nevada Dept. of Justice) - A Las Vegas man who has prior felony convictions was sentenced Monday in two separate cases to a total of 26 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
Wyatt Peterson admitted to committing armed robberies of two jewelry stores and assaulting a detention officer while in custody.
According to court documents, on December 12, 2016, Peterson entered an EZ Pawn store in Las Vegas and demanded the keys to the jewelry case while brandishing a 9mm semi-automatic. The firearm was discharged into a display case during the robbery. Peterson stole at least $40,000 and left the store.
Then, just over a week later, Peterson entered a Las Vegas Super Pawn, also demanding the keys to the jewelry case. He stole 29 rings, three pairs of earrings, and five bracelets combined worth more than $20,000 before he left the store.
Peterson has prior felony convictions including identity theft and possession of a controlled substance in Washington state, as well as carrying a concealed firearm or other deadly weapon in Clark County. He is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm.
In December 2016, Peterson was charged and detained pending trial for the armed robbery case. While in custody at the Nevada Southern Detention Center in Pahrump, he confronted a detention officer at the stairwell and began punching them.
Peterson pleaded guilty to one count each of commerce by robbery, possessing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, felon in possession of a firearm, and assault on a federal officer.