A 23-year-old Fort Worth man has been sentenced to 60 years in prison for his role in the robbery of a fast-food restaurant two years ago.

It took jurors just 30 minutes on Wednesday to convict Justin M. Williams of aggravated robbery for holding up a Fort Worth Whataburger. On Thursday, the jury deliberated about 1 1/2 hours in assessing the 60-year prison term plus a $10,000 fine.

During the trial in state district Judge Ruben Gonzalez’s court, prosecutors Anndi Risinger and Elizabeth Beach presented evidence that, in the early morning hours of May 20, 2010, Williams and Devaughn Bryant robbed two Whataburger cashiers at gunpoint before fleeing the scene.

A Star-Telegram newspaper delivery man followed the robbers, one of whom fired at the man’s car, hitting it six times—one shot missed the man’s chest by mere inches.

During the punishment phase of the trial, jurors learned that Williams had committed three additional aggravated robberies— two at convenience stores and one at an apartment.

In the apartment robbery, the victim, a recent TCU MBA graduate, was shot in the abdomen and bicep but survived. The jury also heard that Williams burglarized Arlington Heights High School then fled on foot before being taken down by police in the middle of Interstate 30.

In September, Williams’ co-defendant in the robberies, Devaughn Bryant, also received a 60-year sentence from a Tarrant County jury.

Melody McDonald

Public Information Officer

Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Office

401 West Belknap

Fort Worth, TX 76196

817-884-3120 (direct)

817-821-3935 (cell)

mjmcdonald@tarrantcounty.com

 Twitter: @TarrantDAOffice