Pair who robbed photographer sent to prison

A San Francisco woman was sentenced Thursday to five years in prison and ordered to pay thousands in restitution for taking part in the robbery and assault of a photographer about a year ago on federal land in San Francisco.

According to plea agreements, Tiffany Smith and co-defendant Daron McClinton, both of San Francisco, admitted that on Oct. 3, 2015, they followed a professional photographer from the Palace of Fine Arts to the Presidio.

There they confronted the victim as he began to unload his equipment from the trunk of his car.

Smith pointed what appeared to be a gun at the victim and demanded the victim’s equipment, prosecutors said.

The victim refused so both Smith and McClinton hit the photographer until he gave up his property.

Smith and McClinton then fled with the equipment.

McClinton was sentenced one week ago to 63 months in prison and also ordered to pay thousands in restitution, according to prosecutors.

A federal grand jury indicted both defendants on Oct. 29, 2015 and charged them with robbery on federal land, conspiracy to commit robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon on federal land, prosecutors said.

Smith pleaded guilty to the charges July 7, 2016, and McClinton pleaded guilty on May 5, 2016.

Both must submit to three years of supervised release when they leave prison. They were remanded into custody after their sentencing.