A man has been sentenced to 16 years plus 25 years to life in prison under the three strikes law after being convicted of robbery.

According to Kern County District Attorney Lisa S. Green, a Kern County jury convicted Robert Mickel Byas of robbery having suffered prior violent felony convictions. On July 27, 2017, Byas confronted the 38-year-old victim while they were walking in the 300 block of Wilson Road in Ridgecrest. According to the District Attorney, Byas beat the victim and stole the victim's backpack.

The D.A. says that Byas was convicted previously three times for robbery and one time for assault with a firearm, which qualified him to be sentenced under the three strikes law.