Michael Deon Woulard of Gainesville pleaded guilty on Mar. 17 to robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, according to U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. Woulard faces a minimum sentence of 14 years and could receive up to two life terms plus 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
The charges stem from three separate robberies that took place between October 2023 and February 2024. According to the plea agreement, Woulard robbed a Jacksonville pawn shop on October 10, stealing goods valued at about $45,945. On November 25, he robbed a jewelry store in Jacksonville, where he brandished a semi-automatic pistol at employees and stole approximately $352,000 worth of jewelry.
Woulard committed another robbery on February 20 at an Ocala jewelry store, again using a semi-automatic pistol to threaten employees before taking about $364,000 in jewelry. He was arrested the following day while in possession of stolen items from the third robbery. During an interview with investigators from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Ocala Police Department, Woulard admitted to committing both jewelry store robberies.
A co-defendant, Erica Jordan Patrick, previously pleaded guilty for her role in aiding and abetting the November 25 robbery by casing the store and identifying specific items for Woulard to target.
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 is prosecuting the case.
