A North Texas man was sentenced to over 25 years in federal prison for a robbery committed in July 2019.
A federal jury convicted 38-year-old Michael Tremaine Schexnayder in June 2021 on one count of carjacking, one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of interference with commerce by robbery, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to CBS 11 News, on January 25 U.S. District Judge Samuel A. Lindsay sentenced Schexnayder to 308 months in federal prison. Schexnayder was also ordered to pay $15,658.74 in restitution.
According to evidence presented at Schexnayder’s trial, the 38-year-old, armed with a small pistol, entered a Grand Prairie T-Mobile store at about 10:45 a.m. on July 16, 2019.
Schexnayder suddenly approached two employees and one customer and pointed a gun in their face, demanding they hand over their cell phones, watches, car keys, and other personal possessions. He also ordered employees to open the safe in the back of the store.
An assistant store manager at the store explained to him that the safe would not open for several minutes after she put the code because it was on a time delay.
The assistant store manager testified in court that Schexnayder became agitated and forced her to empty the till into a garbage bag. Schexnayder then fled the scene in the assistant store manager’s car after demanding she hand over her car keys and describe her vehicle.
With the permission of the assistant store manager, officers began tracking her phone, which Schexnayder had stolen. Officers located the vehicle and gave chase.
Officers later found Schexnayder lying in the woods and dressed in the same clothes witnesses had described after he abandoned the car and fled into the area.
“This defendant menaced innocent citizens with a gun. They will never forget the terror they endured that day,” said U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. “We hope they will find some solace in knowing Mr. Schexnayder will spend the next quarter century behind bars.”
