Stockton man sentenced to 9.5 years in prison for robbing a Fire Wings restaurant at gunpoint

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Douglas Sharron Piggee Jr., 55, of Stockton, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to 9.5 years in prison for interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on July 21, 2022, Piggee walked into a Fire Wings restaurant in Stockton, pointed a loaded gun at the cashier, and demanded money from the register. Piggee then took the money and fled on foot, leaving his car keys behind. Officers found his car parked down the street. Inside the car was the cash, an unserialized, loaded, privately manufactured firearm or "ghost gun," an extended magazine loaded with 24 rounds of ammunition, and the clothes Piggee used during the robbery. Piggee committed this crime while on supervised release after serving prison sentences for two prior federal convictions: one for armed bank robbery and one for escape and illegal possession of a firearm.

Piggee pleaded guilty on March 25, 2025.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Stockton Police Department conducted the investigation Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Desmond prosecuted the case.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys' offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department's commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump's Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.