How Sad....

[MJS]

That the world is coming to this. I mean really, I know that times are rough, but to resort to a life of crime and even going so far as to bring your young kids into it. Its really sad. I suppose during these times, its even more important to be aware of whats going on around you, invest in the proper measures to make your house secure and hope that you're not a victim of people like this.

Link

PHOENIX - A 51-year-old woman used guilt about her family's difficult finances to get her young sons and their friends to help her pay bills by committing at least 20 armed robberies in the Phoenix area, authorities said.
Cynthia Roberson, her two sons, ages 12 and 14, and five others face charges of armed robbery and aggravated assault, investigators said Monday.
"All of us should be disgusted by this," Phoenix police Sgt. Phil Roberts said. "This is absolutely not how to raise your children."

 

[Gordon Nore]

Well, she sure picked the wrong county to commit these crimes in...

Welcome to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office
The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, headed by the famed Sheriff Joe Arpaio, is the most talked about and nationally recognized Sheriff's Office in the country today. Why? Because we are innovative...

...no other county or state facility can boast of a gleaning program that results in costs of under 15 cents per meal per inmate; few others can say they have women in tents or on chain gangs...
http://www.mcso.org/index.php?a=GetModule&mn=About_Mcso

 

[MJS]

Well, she sure picked the wrong county to commit these crimes in...

Oh man!! I didn't even notice that! Thats great!!! That is just the place that her and the kids need to be.

 

[arnisador]

Those kids could've been killed...

 

[terryl965]

Oh man!! I didn't even notice that! Thats great!!! That is just the place that her and the kids need to be.

Mike I agree this is where she belongs but the kids... come on, they could be innocent victims here. I understand what you are trying to say it just might have came out wrong.

 

[MJS]

Mike I agree this is where she belongs but the kids... come on, they could be innocent victims here. I understand what you are trying to say it just might have came out wrong.

Ok, I can agree with not sending the kids to the jail in question, however, IMO, I feel that they should be sent to a Juv. Detention Center, especially considering the crimes that were committed. The older kids should be sent to the jail with the mother.

By the looks of the natire of the crimes, this was nothing that should be taken lightly.

 

[jetboatdeath]

Mike I agree this is where she belongs but the kids... come on, they could be innocent victims here. I understand what you are trying to say it just might have came out wrong.

The kids committed the crimes how could they possibly be innocent?

This is the mentality that puts criminals back out on the streets to repeat the same crimes. It sure does suck that this woman asked her kids to do the crime, but they had other choices, like not doing them. Go ahead and blame the mother but the kids are not innocent and the only victim was the store owner/worker that was robbed at gun point. These kids knew what they were doing was wrong. Letting them "go" only puts it in their minds that the offence was "ok". It is well past the time to get tough on ALL criminals no matter what the age sex or race.

As Ted Nugent said "I want dead offenders not repeat offenders"

 

[CoryKS]

She must be really good. I can't even guilt my kid into cleaning his room.

 

[tellner]

Hey, at least it wasn't the Bean family.

 

[Big Don]

Hey, at least it wasn't the Bean family.

Holy crap!

 

[K-man]

That the world is coming to this. I mean really, I know that times are rough, but to resort to a life of crime and even going so far as to bring your young kids into it. Its really sad. I suppose during these times, its even more important to be aware of whats going on around you, invest in the proper measures to make your house secure and hope that you're not a victim of people like this.

Link

I would love to know if she had prior convictions. Seems to me she, or a smart lawyer, is trying to use the current economic situation as an excuse. A bit on the nose?

 

[Carol]

I would love to know if she had prior convictions. Seems to me she, or a smart lawyer, is trying to use the current economic situation as an excuse. A bit on the nose?

No priors...but...

Police busted the robbery ring after catching two of the teens about a week ago. During the interviews, they told detectives about Roberson's role and the crimes.

All seven members of the armed-robbery ring have lived with Roberson.

After serving a search warrant on the home, officers found a sawed off shotgun, two air guns, a submachine gun, and several stolen items from the reported robberies.

Cynthia Roberson, 51, faces a host of robbery-related charges for her role in the heists, which she also told police was part of a gang-initiation ritual.

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2009/06/02/20090602robberies0602.html

 

[MJS]

I would love to know if she had prior convictions. Seems to me she, or a smart lawyer, is trying to use the current economic situation as an excuse. A bit on the nose?

IMO, the judge and jury would have to be a bunch of dummies, if they fell for the economy line. Stealing a package of steak vs. armed robbery, assault, etc. Things of this nature didn't just start happening yesterday. There has always been crimes of this nature, but due to the economy, we are seeing a rise. I still dont think that the economy is a justified excuse, for any of them to attempt to use.

 

[geezer]

Well, she sure picked the wrong county to commit these crimes in...

Sorry if this is a bit off-topic, but Sheriff Joe's jails are the last place anybody wants to be. I used to work at one of his jails (the Durango facility). The voters of my community love Sheriff Joe for his tough-guy reputation and talk about saving taxapayer dollars by overcrowding the facilities, cutting back on food and medical attention to detainees, and so forth. And every now and then there's a little negative publicity over details like detainees dying from exposure from being left out in the sun in cages, or being denied insulin for their diabetes. Joe's jails are the only major detention facilities in the country that are proudly run after having had their health accreditation pulled!

Well, OK. Although many of the detainees are still awaiting trial, let's assume they are all guilty. So let's not coddle the bastards. Gitmo is too good for these guys and gals. Let 'em rot. If a few die, so be it. Welcome back to the 19th Century.

BTW, right or wrong, this approach has made Sheriff Joe a very popular politician. Always wins re-election by a landslide!