Although I have no sympathy for these idiots one would wonder what the sentence would have been if this criminal used a real gun in the robbery???

IN SUPERIOR COURT: POINT PLEASANT MAN CONVICTED IN REPLICA GUN CASE; FACES 10 TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 01/30/06
WHO: Kenneth Lefurge Jr., 25, of Point Pleasant
WHAT: Convicted of armed robbery.

WHEN: Thursday, following a trial before Superior Court Judge James N. Citta in Toms River.

THE CRIME: Lefurge and another man robbed a 16-year-old boy at Memorial Middle School in Point Pleasant on Feb. 28, taking $50 from the victim.

THE WEAPON: A spring-powered gun that resembled a real firearm.

PROSECUTING THE CASE: Assistant Ocean County Prosecutor William Porter.

DEFENDING THE SUSPECT: Attorney George Somers.

POSSIBLE PUNISHMENT: 10 to 20 years in state prison.

SENTENCING: Scheduled for March 17.

THE ACCOMPLICE: Andrew J. Vadas, 21, of Ocean Township, Monmouth County, previously pleaded guilty to conspiring with Lefurge to rob the victim. Vadas has been sentenced to three years in prison.

OCEAN COUNTY PROSECUTOR THOMAS F. KELAHER: "This conviction confirms that these replicas are, in fact, deadly weapons and not toys, as the manufacturers would have the public believe. This is exactly why the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office has contacted our federal legislators to ask for legislation banning their manufacture and sale."

Kathleen Hopkins

http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060130/NEWS02/601300351/1070

OCEAN COUNTY PROSECUTOR THOMAS F. KELAHER: "This conviction confirms that these replicas are, in fact, deadly weapons and not toys, as the manufacturers would have the public believe. This is exactly why the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office has contacted our federal legislators to ask for legislation banning their manufacture and sale."



Um...doesnt someone have to die for it to be a "deadly weapon"? The kid lost $50...thats hardly "deadly"

According to that logic, I guess those notes used in the bank robberies across the tri-state area are deadly weapons now too.  Quick, let's write our congressmen/women to get some legislation banning handwritten notes.

The bill could be prefaced with:
"3M would have the public believing that Post-It notes are intended for harmless messaging, labeling, bookmarking and, well...leaving notes, while in fact they have become the most prolific weapon of choice in recent bank robbing history."

WTF?  Last time I checked, to get an armed robbery conviction, you don't need any weapon or fake weapon at all, just the threat of a weapon.  (hand in a pocket will do nicely)

i agree that it would be armed robbery.  the prosecutor asking the feds to ban the replicas is just retarted tho.