A Houston man, Caleb Pickens, 25, has been sentenced to over 60 years in federal prison for a series of armed robberies at fast-food restaurants in the Houston area. U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei announced the sentence following Pickens' conviction for interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.

The jury reached its verdict on November 8, 2024, after less than three hours of deliberation following a four-day trial. U.S. District Judge David Hittner sentenced Pickens to 722 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. During sentencing, the court considered evidence of Pickens' behavior both during and after the trial, including an incident where he threw a water bottle at the prosecution table and fought with officers in the courtroom.

Judge Hittner emphasized Pickens' violent behavior and lack of remorse as factors contributing to his sentence. "Today’s sentence appropriately accounts for defendant’s violent nature and the seriousness of his offense," said Ganjei. He also highlighted efforts by law enforcement to ensure public safety in Houston.

The investigation into Pickens began in January 2024 when law enforcement agencies started looking into a string of armed robberies at McDonald's and other fast-food outlets. Evidence presented at trial showed that Pickens wore distinctive clothing—a red Nike sweatshirt or black hooded jacket—while committing these crimes and used a pistol to threaten victims.

In one incident, he fired his weapon into a microwave oven at a McDonald's location. He typically demanded money from safes before fleeing through back exits in a stolen Chevrolet Tahoe with noticeable damage.

Pickens was arrested on January 23, 2024, during another robbery attempt at a McDonald's in Houston while wearing the same attire and carrying a firearm. The defense argued unsuccessfully that these robberies did not impact interstate commerce.

Pickens remains in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. The case was investigated by the Houston Police Department’s Violent Crime Task Force and the FBI, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jill Stotts and Brian Hrach prosecuting.