Jason M. Frierson U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada
A Las Vegas resident with a history of felony convictions has been sentenced to 26 years in prison for his involvement in two armed robberies and the assault of a federal officer. Wyatt Scott Peterson, 42, will also serve three years of supervised release following his imprisonment.
Court documents reveal that on December 12, 2016, Peterson entered EZ Pawn in Las Vegas, where he used a 9mm semi-automatic handgun to intimidate employees and fired the weapon into a display case during the robbery. He escaped with jewelry valued at over $40,000. Just days later, on December 21, 2016, Peterson committed another robbery at Super Pawn in Las Vegas. In this incident, he stole jewelry worth more than $20,000.
Peterson's criminal record includes prior convictions for identity theft in Colville, Washington; possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver in Spokane, Washington; and attempting to carry a concealed firearm or other deadly weapon in Clark County, Nevada. As a convicted felon, he is legally barred from possessing firearms.
Following his arrest in December 2016 for the armed robberies, Peterson was detained at Nevada Southern Detention Center in Pahrump. While in custody, he assaulted a detention officer by punching him at a stairwell.
Peterson pleaded guilty to charges including commerce by robbery, possessing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and assaulting a federal officer.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI Las Vegas Division. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jim Fang prosecuted the cases.
