Richard A. Randolph, 44, of Youngstown, faces a minimum of 100 years in federal prison for robbing several businesses in the Tampa area while using a Beretta Pico pistol, earning the nickname the “Beretta Bandit.”

U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg issued a news release Tuesday stating a federal jury found Randolph guilty of Hobbs Act robberies — three counts of robbery, one count of attempted robbery, three counts of brandishing a firearm and one count of discharging a firearm during the commission of the robberies.

Randolph faces a minimum statutory penalty of 100 years in prison on the firearm counts and a maximum of 20 years on each of the robbery counts. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 30.

According to evidence presented at trial, Randolph entered four Tampa businesses between Jan. 27, 2020, and Feb. 26, 2020, wearing a hooded sweatshirt and facial covering. During each of the robberies, Randolph brandished and threatened the victims with a Beretta Pico pistol and removed money from the cash registers.

During the Feb. 26, 2020, attempted robbery, Randolph concealed his identity, entered the store and threatened the clerk with the firearm. However, the victim’s boyfriend, who was outside the store waiting to take her home, confronted Randolph, according to the release.

Randolph then discharged the pistol twice in the parking lot as the victims fled. Law enforcement recovered the bullet casing from the parking lot.

According to the news release, the case remained active and under investigation under the name “Beretta Bandit” as no subject was able to be identified.

In July 2021, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop of an individual who was found to have a Beretta Pico pistol in his car. The individual did not match the description of the robber and told law enforcement he had purchased the Beretta Pico pistol from Randolph, who was a former co-worker, the news release states.

Forensic examiners from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives laboratory later determined that the Beretta pistol was the firearm involved in the last robbery committed by Randolph.

During the trial, victims testified about their terror during the robberies. However, they could not identify Randolph because he was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a mask. The evidence at trial focused on the recovered Beretta Pico pistol, the testimony of the co-worker who had the pistol, forensic analyses from the ATF laboratory and location data analyses by the FBI.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tampa Police Department and Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make neighborhoods safer.

Have an interesting story? Email Ed Runyan at erunyan@vindy.com.