Cops: Mom goads boys into robbery spree

updated 5:24 a.m. ET June 2, 2009

PHOENIX - A 51-year-old woman used guilt about her family's difficult finances to get her young sons and their friends to help her pay bills by committing at least 20 armed robberies in the Phoenix area, authorities said.

Cynthia Roberson, her two sons, ages 12 and 14, and five others face charges of armed robbery and aggravated assault, investigators said Monday.

"All of us should be disgusted by this," Phoenix police Sgt. Phil Roberts said. "This is absolutely not how to raise your children."

Guilted her sons
Roberson, who recently became unemployed, guilted her sons, their friends and three men into committing robberies to pay for rent and a car loan, police said.

In all of the 20 cases, Roberson drove the getaway car and once coached a 14-year-old during a robbery because he was having trouble stealing a cell phone from a victim, police said. One victim reported that Roberson was holding a sawed-off shotgun during a robbery.

All the robbery victims were physically assaulted, police said. One 13-year-old was beaten and forced to empty his pockets — which contained only an orange lollipop.

Roberson's 12-year-old was in the custody of Child Protective Services but still faces charges; her 14-year-old was being held in a juvenile jail. Two others, a 14- and 16-year-old, also were being held in a juvenile jail.

Three men arrested were identified as: Jorge Elias, 18, Tony Vaughn, 20, and Jason Moore, 20. They were being held in a Maricopa County jail.

Police do not know how much money the group made, but said the figure couldn't be very high, considering they usually made away with a cell phone or a bit of cash.

Most of the robbery victims were between 13 and 20 years old, though some were older. They were robbed in parks and along neighborhood streets on weekends.

A request with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office to interview Roberson and the other adult suspects was not immediately returned Monday evening; it was unclear whether they had lawyers.

More from msnbc.com Theater troupe makes dreams come true |   Video World Blog: What's at stake in Copenhagen? What do you remember? Take our weekly quiz ‘Three Cups of Tea’ advice for Obama Will nuclear fusion fade ... or finally flare? On Twitter: Breaking news updates | Weird and wild

MORE FROM CRIME & COURTS

Crime & courts Section Front

3 hurt in Md. hotel machine-gun shooting Knox upset, tired; gets family visit in prison 2 dead in barn fire at Ohio county fairgrounds Student charged in Binghamton U. professor's death Teen pleads not guilty in killing of brother Delayed Va. Tech alert ‘inexcusable’ N.Y. prof wrongly ID’d as suspect files suit Wis. man wanted in double homicides eludes police Crime & courts Section Front   Add Crime & courts headlines to your news reader: