Lakeland man sentenced to life in prison for 2020 home robbery with a firearm

LAKELAND — A Lakeland man was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for entering an unlocked home and forcing an occupant to give him money out of the safe while threatening to shoot both occupants.

The Tenth Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office said Thomas Lucas, 31, was convicted April 12 of robbery with a firearm, burglary of a dwelling with an assault while armed with a firearm. He was sentenced June 13.

According to his arrest affidavit, Lucas walked into the home on Dove Meadow Trail in May 2020 and then entered a closed bedroom, where he took his gun out and demanded that a woman open her safe and give him the money inside. After she gave him $2,400, he told her to stay in the room "or he would shoot her."

South Florida Avenue crash: Lakeland motorcyclist killed on South Florida Avenue. SUV driver charged with leaving scene

Police officer shot: Haines City officer recovering after being shot during a traffic stop Sunday

Taking guns: Judge denies 'red-flag' request over gun at a Lakeland high school

"The suspect then found the second victim in the living room as he was attempting to leave and pointed the firearm at the victim," the affidavit said.

Lucas told the man to sit down and not follow him out of the house or he'd shoot him. Neighbors saw Lucas run out of the home with his gun and leave in a white vehicle. Law enforcement located Lucas the same day with a loaded firearm.

The State Attorney's Office said Lucas is a prison-release reoffender and will not receive parole. He was credited with 754 days because of the time he's already spent incarcerated for the robbery. Lucas has previous charges on his record related to trafficking large amounts of drugs, the State Attorney's Office said.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Life in prison, no parole for Lakeland man who robbed couple at gunpoint