NLV man sentenced for role in robberies
A 30-year-old North Las Vegas man was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for his role in a rash of robberies that netted thousands of dollars at home improvement stores throughout Southern Nevada between late 2006 and early 2007.
Lance Grandberry pleaded guilty in January to robbery affecting interstate commerce and discharging a firearm in the course of a robbery affecting interstate commerce. Grandberry acted with Laurice McCurdy, 35, of Las Vegas and Issah Abubaker, 25, of Gardena, Calif.
McCurdy was sentenced last month to 12 years in prison, and Abubaker received a nine-year prison sentence in January.
On Feb. 10, 2007, the trio robbed a Home Depot at 4195 S. Fort Apache, the U.S. attorney's office said. Grandberry held employees at gunpoint while Abubaker took the store manager into a vault, where he was forced to turn over $30,000 in cash, according to court records.
They hopped into a getaway car, and as the vehicle sped away, it struck another car. They jumped into a second car and continued their getaway. Grandberry fired at a Home Depot employee tracking the three.
Authorities used a hidden tracking device to trace the three men back to McCurdy's apartment.
Police confiscated one .38-caliber pistol with 100 rounds of ammunition; six .357-caliber shell casings; 86 rounds of .45-caliber ammunition; and 34 rounds of .22-caliber ammunition, according to the indictment.
Other robberies occurred in November 2006 at Home Depot at 9705 W. Charleston Blvd., where McCurdy repeatedly punched the store manager, and in December 2006 at Lowe's at 851 S. Pavillion Drive.
In each case, handguns were used to restrain and threaten employees, the U.S. attorney's office said.
"These robberies were well-planned, violent, and endangered the lives of many citizens," U.S. Attorney Gregory Brower said.
