Date: 03-22-2016

Case Style: United States of America v. Emmanuel Chaplain

Case Number: 8:14-cr-00409-LSC-FG3

Judge: Laurie Smith Camp

Court: United States District Court for the District of Nebraska (Douglas County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: Susan T. Lehr and Michael P. Norris

Defendant's Attorney: Don Schense

Description: Omaha, NE - Omaha Man Convicted of Multiple Robberies

Emmanuel Chaplain, age 26, of Omaha, Nebraska, was convicted after a jury trial. The jury found Chaplain guilty of seven counts of interference with commerce by means of robbery, three counts of using or possessing a firearm in furtherance of three of the robberies and felon in possession of a firearm. The Honorable Chief District Judge Laurie Smith Camp presided over the trial that began March 14 in Federal District Court. Sentencing has been set for June 20, 2016. Mr. Chaplain faces 20 years of imprisonment on each robbery, at least five years consecutive to the first robbery in which he used a firearm, and 25 years consecutive on each of the other two charges of possessing and using a firearm in furtherance of the particular robberies for which he used a firearm. He faces 10 years imprisonment for the felon in possession of a firearm charge.

On June 19, 2014, Chaplain and Shane Seizys robbed the Jiffy Lube located at 5819 Maple Street. Later that day they robbed a second Jiffy Lube at 1221 South 120th Street. On June 23, 2014, they robbed the Subway at 5005 Center Street and Chaplain was found guilty of possessing and using a firearm during that robbery. When they left Subway, they went to O’Reilly Auto Parts at 3620 North 72nd Street and robbed it. Within an hour of those two robberies they went to the Kum & Go at 1010 South 154th Street and robbed it. The jury found that Chaplain possessed and used a firearm during the Kum & Go robbery. On July 16, 2014, Chaplain and Seizys robbed the Game Stop at 9959 Redick Circle using a firearm and about 15 minutes later, robbed the KFC located at 7601 North 30th Street.

A bandana found in a car Chaplain was riding in on June 23, 2014, following the Kum & Go robbery, was tested for DNA. The probability that the bandana did not belong to Chaplain was one in 20 sextillion.

After the Game Stop and KFC robberies, three people matching the description of the robbers were seen changing clothes at a vehicle approximately one block away. Omaha Police Officers quickly responded to the area. Seizys and Dilang Dat were immediately arrested. Chaplain fled from police but was caught a short time later. The vehicle they ran from belonged to Chaplain’s brother. In addition to finding clothes in the car that matched those worn in the robberies, there were 5 video game boxes from Game Stop that had Chaplain’s fingerprints on them.

Seizys and Dat previously pleaded guilty and their sentencing hearings have been set for June 20, 2016.

The case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Outcome: Guilty

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

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