Convicted Tampa armed robber faces 100 years in prison after a traffic stop in Collier County

Writer: Carolina Guzman
Published: Updated:
Richard Allen Randolph Credit: The Collier County Sheriff’s Office

A man known as the “Beretta Bandit,” who had been convicted of several armed robberies in Tampa, faces a lifetime in prison after a 2021 Collier County traffic stop led to his arrest.

According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, 44-year-old Richard Allen Randolph is behind bars after he was convicted in federal court on Tuesday of robbing four Tampa businesses at gunpoint in 2020.

Randolph was nicknamed the Beretta Bandit for the Beretta Pico pistol he used in the robberies. He also wore a hoodie and face covering to conceal his identity.

It wasn’t until July 2021, when a Collier County deputy conducted a traffic stop on an individual who was found to have a Beretta Pico pistol in his car that authorities got the break in the case they needed, ultimately leading to Randolph’s arrest.

The individual told the CCSO deputy that he had purchased the Beretta pistol from Randolph, a former co-worker.

Forensic testing later determined the pistol was the firearm involved in the last robbery committed by Randolph.

The evidence at trial focused on the recovered Beretta pistol, the testimony of the co-worker and forensic analyses.

Randolph faces a minimum penalty of 100 years in federal prison on firearm charges at his sentencing July 30.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.