Understanding an Armed Robbery Charge and Legal Representation
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Reviewed & verified by A. Jason Velez, Esq.*
Managing Attorney, 1LAW · Last reviewed January 11, 2026
Legal Inquiry
Consumer Legal Issue
Looking to possibly hire attorney and understand her charges.
Armed Robbery no I don’t have any other details.
Attorney Answer
Armed robbery in Florida is a first-degree felony, and if a firearm or other deadly weapon was involved, it can carry a sentence of up to life in prison, with a mandatory minimum firearm term that must be served in full inside whatever sentence the judge imposes.
Under Florida Statutes § 812.13, robbery committed while carrying a firearm or other deadly weapon is a felony of the first degree, punishable by a term of years up to life imprisonment. Florida Statutes § 775.087 — the "10-20-Life" law — sets mandatory minimum prison terms for robbery and other listed felonies involving a firearm: 10 years for possessing it, 20 years if it was discharged, and 25 years to life if the discharge caused death or great bodily harm. Those minimums are not extra time added on top of the robbery sentence. Under § 775.087(2)(b) the minimum is served inside the sentence for that same robbery; the statute "does not prevent a court from imposing a longer sentence of incarceration as authorized by law in addition to the minimum mandatory sentence." A 15-year sentence carrying a 10-year minimum is 15 years, the first 10 of which must be served day for day — not 25 years. Under § 775.087(2)(d), a minimum term runs consecutively to prison time imposed for a different felony offense, so time stacks only when there is more than one qualifying count.
No other details about the incident have been provided, so nothing about what actually happened should be assumed — but the potential penalties alone justify moving quickly to secure legal representation.
What you can do:
1. Contact a criminal defense attorney in your area as soon as possible.
2. Ask the attorney to move immediately to preserve evidence, since police body-camera footage, 911 recordings, and witness statements can be lost or become harder to obtain the longer you wait.
3. Avoid discussing the details of the case with anyone besides the attorney.
4. Have the attorney review the charging documents and any bond conditions right away.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How serious is an armed robbery charge?
In many states, robbery involving a firearm or other deadly weapon is charged as a high-level felony that can carry a lengthy prison sentence.
Are there mandatory minimum sentences when a firearm is involved in a robbery?
Many states set mandatory minimum sentences when a firearm is used or discharged during a robbery. In Florida, Florida Statutes § 775.087(2) sets minimums of 10, 20, or 25 years to life, but those terms are served inside the sentence the judge imposes for that robbery rather than added on top of it; under § 775.087(2)(d) a minimum runs consecutively only to time imposed for a different felony offense.
How quickly should someone facing a robbery charge retain a defense attorney?
It's generally advisable to retain counsel as soon as possible, since evidence like surveillance footage, body-camera video, and witness statements can become harder to obtain or preserve over time.
