Houston gunmen sentenced to 14 years for armed robberies

HOUSTON - Two Houston men have been sentenced to significant federal prison terms following their convictions for using a firearm during the commission of two convenience store robberies, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Derian Joel Caesar and Centel Devon Willis Jr. pleaded guilty in April.

Today, U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett ordered Willis to serve 14 years in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, Judge Bennett noted that if Willis continued to make these decisions following his imprisonment, he will either return to prison or could even end up dead.

Caesar was previously ordered to serve 14 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.

Caesar and Willis admitted that on March 15, 2023, both acted together and used firearms to rob two different 7-Eleven convenience stores in Harris and Fort Bend Counties. In both crimes, Caesar carried a black firearm and took money from the cash drawer, while Willis pointed a black semiautomatic handgun towards the employee on duty.

Both have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin R. Martin prosecuted the case.