Jurors have convicted a Sacramento man in a string of armed parking lot robberies that prosecutors say zeroed in on families heading to and from retail stores, leaving several of them shaken and missing valuables that included wedding rings and heirlooms. William Ellis was found guilty on multiple robbery counts and a felony evasion charge after prosecutors told the court he threatened victims with a handgun as they got into or out of their vehicles. Sentencing is set for May 15, and if enhancements and alleged prior strikes are upheld, Ellis could be looking at decades to life in prison.
How Prosecutors Made the Case
According to the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, the jury returned guilty verdicts on seven robbery counts and a felony evasion charge, and also found true firearm-use enhancements for each incident. Prosecutors say the crimes unfolded across three separate incidents in July and August 2023, in retail parking lots where victims were approached as they were getting into their vehicles. Items taken ranged from…..