YOUNGSTOWN — Edgar Ramirez got the minimum sentence of 19 years in federal prison Tuesday for his role in three armed robberies last December in the Youngstown area.

Ramirez, 23, of Detroit Avenue had only moved to Youngstown a couple of weeks before the robbery spree began, his attorneys stated in a sentencing memorandum.

Ramirez, originally from New Jersey, moved to Youngstown in early December 2019 to live with an aunt and seek out new opportunities to provide for his family, but he met up with co-defendant Melvin Jackson, 19, of East LaClede Avenue in early December, shortly after moving to Youngstown, a filing states.

Jackson was sentenced last week to 16 years in prison for his role in the armed robberies Dec. 17 at the Speedway gas station in Boardman, Dec. 19 Subway restaurant in Youngstown and Dec. 21 Kwik Fill in Struthers. When Jackson and Ramirez were arrested Jan. 20 following an armed robbery at the Dollar General store on Oak Street in Youngstown, Jackson admitted to seven armed robberies.

Both men were also convicted of gun charges connected to the robberies ä two such gun charges for Jackson and three for Ramirez. Ramirez was convicted of the same three robberies.

Justin Herdman, U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, said of the case, “Both of these men will now spend almost two decades behind bars for their actions that terrorized a community. The length of these sentences should show that pointing a gun at the head of innocent people simply trying to do their job and demanding money will put you in jail for a very long time.”

Read MORE in Thursday’s VINDICATOR.