Flora man sentenced after fake Craigslist ad leads to armed robbery | Crime

FLORA, MS (WLBT) - A Flora man has been sentenced to 42 years in prison for armed robbery after he posted a fake ad on Craigslist and robbed the man who responded.

In January 2011, Howard Doyle, 20, posted an ad on the website Craigslist saying he was selling an iPhone, said Madison and Rankin counties’ District Attorney Michael Guest.

A man called Doyle in response to the ad and established a meeting place in a “secluded area” in Flora. When the victim and his 2-year-old daughter arrived at the location, Doyle and two others approached them with a gun.

The victim and the gunman struggled over the gun, and it fired twice striking the co-defendant. The defendants took money, a phone and a gun from the victim’s vehicle.

Flora police soon learned a man was at a local hospital seeking treatment for a gunshot wound. The injured man was arrested and told police Doyle posted the fake ad on Craigslist.

“The evidence presented to the jury in this case left no doubt as to the guilt of Howard Doyle,” Guest said. “In addition, to the two co-defendants who testified that Doyle was the mastermind behind this dangerous event we also have cell phone records that show incoming and outgoing calls between Doyle and the victim.  The victim and his child were very fortunate that they were able to escape without injury.”

Guest warned people to meet at well-populated and lit areas when buying or selling items on websites like Craigslist.

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