Memphis Man Who Robbed Jonesboro Retailer Gets Life Sentence

JONESBORO, Ark. — A Memphis man with an extensive criminal history was sentenced to life in prison today for an aggravated robbery committed earlier this year in Jonesboro.

Pierre Darnell Wright, 34, of Memphis, was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday, August 15, 2024, according to the prosecutor’s office. He was convicted of aggravated robbery, a Class Y felony, after less than 20 minutes of jury deliberations. He also was convicted of a misdemeanor theft charge, receiving a 12-month suspended sentence on that charge.

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Wright was arrested earlier this year on February 8 for robbing Plato’s Closet in Jonesboro. The probable cause affidavit says officers were dispatched to the retailer’s location at 2600 Fair Park Boulevard for a robbery in progress. Victims and witnesses said a male had entered the store and began pointing what appeared to be a gun at the cashier. The cashier said the suspect had a hood on his head and his face was partially covered. He pointed a gun at her and demanded she put all the money in the bag. She described that the suspect had a sock covering the gun but she could see part of the gun near the grip, which she observed to be silver in color. The cashier handed a bag containing about $600 over, and the suspect fled in a silver passenger car. The cashier noted to police the bag was a Plato’s shopping bag.

The suspect vehicle was seen leaving Plato’s closet traveling east bound towards Race Street. JPD contacted the Real Time Intelligence Center (RTIC) for assistance. Traffic cameras were utilized to find the suspect vehicle traveling toward Jonesboro from Trumann. Police found it to have a Mississippi tag number. Information about the suspect was passed on to law enforcement in the area and a short time later, the suspect vehicle was stopped near Marion.

Marion officers shared with police their suspect’s information. The affidavit says he was wearing clothing that matched the description of the suspect in the theft. A photograph was sent of Wright by the Marion officers to Jonesboro, who confirmed it was the suspect on the Plato’s Closet security camera.

The suspect’s vehicle was towed and a search warrant was obtained. Inside, authorities found a black toboggan, sunglasses, and $981 in miscellaneous bills. Of the money, $598 was found in a white Plato’s Closet shopping bag. Police also located a silver toy handgun.

Police also found a Mississippi license plate laying on the back seat of the vehicle. It matched the license plate number of the vehicle the RTIC found. They suspected it had been recently removed, as there was no license plate displayed on the outside of the suspect vehicle.

Management for the retailer told police some of their other stores near the Memphis area have also been robbed. They believed it could have been the same suspect.

Wright was charged with aggravated robbery and theft of $1,000 or less. His bond was set at $1 million, cash or surety, by Judge David Boling, who considered him a flight risk and noted he was already out on bond for a robbery in Bartlett, Tennessee.

Not counting that incident, the prosecution charged Wright as a habitual offender, noting he had been convicted of aggravated burglary twice in 2010 and aggravated robbery later in the same year.

Read More: Memorandum In Support of Habitual Offender Sentence

The state was represented by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Charlene Henry and Prosecuting Attorney Sonia F. Hagood. The defendant was represented by Joseph D. Hughes. Circuit Judge Scott Ellington presided over the case.