Man convicted at 17 for robbing strippers resentenced to 25 years

Ramone Moon, sentenced to 25 years in prison as a 17-year-old in 2010, asked a judge Wednesday to 'take a chance on me.”

'If it was possible to go back in time, I would change things,” Moon, now 23, said.

Moon apologized to the court and to the four victims he robbed while holding a gun on them and then pistol whipped and assaulted them in their motel room on July 18, 2009.

'They didn't deserve it,” Moon said. 'I'm asking for a second chance to be a father and husband.”

Anne Wilson, Moon's attorney asked the court for a reduced sentenced or suspended sentence and probation. Moon was convicted of four counts of first-degree robbery, but the trial judge ran the sentences concurrently for 25 years in prison with a mandatory minimum of 17 years to be served before being eligible for parole.

According to a 2014 Iowa law banning mandatory minimums for juveniles, 6th Judicial District Judge Chad Kepros resentenced Moon to 25 years without a mandatory minimum, making him immediately eligible for parole.

His release will be determined by the parole board.

Kepros explained to Moon in great detail that he reviewed the trial transcript, prison records and other documents relating to this case, and considered the testimony during the hearing, as well as the factors required for resentencing, such as his age, home environment, nature and circumstances of the crime and the possibility of rehabilitation.

Kepros acknowleged that Moon was a 'model prisoner,” with only one minor violation in five years at Iowa State Penitentiary in Anamosa, and he also received his GED and is taking advantage of additional training for welding. Kepros also pointed out Moon paid his victim's restitution and he believed Moon had true remorse.

Moon's sister, Jazzmin Moon, testified that her brother had changed while in prison and had matured. She thought he was more serious about his life now and wouldn't get involved with the same type of negative influences.

Jazzmin Moon also told the court they had a rough childhood growing up with parents who were drug addicts, but they did have a supportive grandmother, who took them in and tried to protect them.

First Assistant Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks asked the judge to consider the seriousness of the offense and resentence him to 25 years without the mandatory 17 year. Moon followed a Woody's Club dancer and her boyfriend back to their motel that night, held a gun on the couple and two others in the motel room while demanding money. He then pistol whipped one of the men, which discharged the gun, and then Moon assaulted the women and pistol whipped the other man.

Maybanks said the victims then tried to wrestle the gun from Moon and he was shot.

'He also told one of the victims he was going to kill him,” Maybanks said.

However, Maybank did commend Moon on his progress but said probation wasn't appropriate and it would be a 'dangerous precedent” to set because this crime involved a gun and violence.