A suburban San Francisco man was sentenced to 12 years in prison Monday following his conviction of robbing a Craigslist patron at gunpoint.
The 38-year-old defendant, Tuan Ngoc Luong, was nabbed last year during a sting operation when he tried to rob an undercover Alameda County sheriff's deputy, according to court documents (PDF). His sentence was lengthy because, in part, he was found guilty of being a convicted felon in possession of a Glock semi-automatic pistol.
The investigation began last year after a man saw a Craigslist advertisement about a car—a 1996 Acura Integra—and contacted the seller, who turned out to be the defendant. The two met at a local Bay Area subway station. During a late-evening test drive, the victim got out of the car to inspect it and wanted to buy it for $1,100. The defendant, who went by the name Michael, "pointed a black semi-automatic handgun at the victim and demanded money," according to a police affidavit.
"The victim told 'Michael' that he had left the money back at the BART station. 'Michael,' while waiving a gun at the victim, then demanded the victim's cell phone and everything in his pockets. The victim gave up his iPhone 6, credit card, driver's license, and medical card. 'Michael' then fled in the Acura, and the victim ran back to his girlfriend at the BART station," the court record said.
A records search of the phone number used on the Craigslist posting led police to the suspect. The victim identified the culprit via a photo lineup.
Days later, an undercover officer called the number and told the defendant he was interested in buying the vehicle. Luong showed up at the meet-up spot in the late evening and was arrested, the authorities said.
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