In federal court: Oran man sentenced on theft, firearms charges

The U.S. attorney's office released the following information Monday for defendants who appeared before U.S. District Judge Carol E. Jackson.

sentenced

Name: Jim R. Harris

Age: 51

Residence: Oran, Mo.

Charges: Interference with commerce by threat or violence, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and felon in possession of ammunition.

Sentence: 25 years

Summary: Harris entered the Amerimart convenience store in Benton, Mo., around 8:30 p.m. Jan. 28, 2010. He was armed with a semiautomatic pistol and wearing a Halloween mask. Harris ordered the clerk to give him the money from the cash register and then fired a shot into the ceiling. He took $1,531 and fled the scene. Authorities responded to the scene where they found the spent ammunition cartridge on the floor. Agents for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives determined the casing was from a 9 mm round of Sellier and Bellot ammunition. Officers developed information about the case and later arrested Harris. During questioning, he admitted to robbing the Amerimart and using a 9 mm handgun to do so.