Michael Deon Woulard, 50, of Gainesville, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard on July 31 to 14 years and 10 months in federal prison for robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. Woulard pleaded guilty on March 16.
According to court documents and proceedings, Woulard robbed a Value Pawn shop in Jacksonville on October 10, 2023, stealing goods valued at approximately $45,945. On November 25, 2023, he robbed a Kay Jewelers store in Jacksonville where he brandished a semi-automatic pistol at employees and stole jewelry valued at about $352,623.66. On February 20, 2024, Woulard committed another robbery at a Kay Jewelers store in Ocala using the same method and stole jewelry worth around $364,752.56.
Woulard was arrested on February 21 while in possession of numerous stolen items from the third robbery. During a voluntary interview with investigators from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Ocala Police Department, he admitted to committing the jewelry store robberies.
He was ordered to pay $442,582.59 in restitution to the victims.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation along with local law enforcement agencies including the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Ocala Police Department, and Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian prosecuted the case.