Defendant in 2020 Hayward gun store burglary avoids federal prison

SAN FRANCISCO — A Bay Area man avoided federal prison after pleading guilty to playing a role in the May 2020 burglary of a Hayward gun store where more than two dozen firearms were stolen, court records show.

Tyronza Hampton Jr., 27, was sentenced to time served — which comes out to roughly a week spent in jail between his July 2020 arrest and release on bond at his first court appearance — in the May 31, 2020 burglary of Richardson Tactical. Hampton was sentenced Feb. 27 by U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar.

Hampton was indicted in 2020, along with fellow Oakland residents Dashawn Taylor, Anthony Craft Jr., and a fourth person whose charges were swiftly dismissed. Taylor, like Hampton, was sentenced to no additional jail or prison time. Craft, by contrast, received 30 months behind bars.

According to prosecutors, there were nine burglars in total, but police only made four arrests. Twenty-seven guns were stolen from the store. The burglary happened on a night of mass demonstrations and civil unrest across the East Bay over the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd.

In court papers, Alan Dressler, the attorney representing Hampton, wrote that a prison sentence would be “devastating” to him and his family and impede Hampton’s rehabilitation. Hampton also wrote an apology letter that says, “I just want to be a better me.”

“For the last 20 months Mr. Hampton, has been providing and receiving love, comfort, and emotional support from (his partner) and their children,” Dressler wrote in court papers. “His removal from the family home at this time would only serve to confuse and devastate his children, who run to greet him when he returns from work. It would also devastate Mr. Hampton because his relationship with his children has reinforced his desire to stay out of jail, and be the father that he never had.”

Prosecutors asked for a 30-month prison sentence and a restitution order for the store owner. Tigar’s sentencing requires no restitution to be paid and places Hampton on three years of supervised release.