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A third Indianapolis man involved in a 2020 armed robbery in Lawrence has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison for his role in the incident.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana announced that Clifford Lewis, 20, Tyrese Turner, 22, and Calvin Johnson, 21, all of Indianapolis, have been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and using a firearm during a crime of violence.
Lewis was sentenced to eight years in federal prison June 9.
In November 2022, Tyrese Turner, 22, was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in federal prison.
In June 2022, Calvin Johnson was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, on Nov. 12, 2020, at approximately 7:03 pm, Johnson and Lewis entered a T-Mobile store on Pendleton Pike in Lawrence.
Both men approached an employee at the display counter and inquired about switching a service plan.
As the employee began to help them, he noticed that Lewis had a pistol secured in a holster in his waistband.
Johnson and Lewis then approached a second employee as Turner entered the business carrying a black backpack over his shoulders.
Johnson brandished a semiautomatic pistol at the second employee and ordered him into the back room.
In the back room, the three men took turns removing electronic devices from the safe and placing them into Turner’s backpack. Johnson zip-tied the victims’ hands behind their backs as well as their ankles.
Once the defendants were satisfied with the number of cell phones in the backpack, Lewis began wrapping it in foil.
As the robbery was still in progress, Lawrence Police Department officers arrived. All three men attempted to flee. Johnson and Turner were caught and arrested in the store. Lewis fled the scene and was arrested on a later date.
Officers conducted a search of Johnson’s person and found a Taurus 9 mm caliber semiautomatic pistol in his right front jean pocket.
Officers located the loaded Glock19 9 mm caliber semiautomatic pistol that was in Lewis’ waistband in a ravine behind the store.
The total amount of property taken during the robbery included more than 50 devices and amounted to a value of $43,804.30, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
“Everyone in the Southern District of Indiana deserves to feel safe where they live and work. These three violent criminals conspired not only to rob a store of thousands of dollars in merchandise, but also to traumatize innocent people just doing their jobs,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers in a news release. “Gun-toting criminals are a menace to our communities and will be met with consequences, as demonstrated by the serious sentences imposed today. I commend the FBI and Lawrence Police Department for their quick action to protect the public in this case.”
“These convictions are the results of exemplary collaboration between Federal, State, & Local law enforcement agencies focusing their resources on those who engage in violent crime in our communities,” said Lawrence Police Deputy Chief Gary Woodruff in a news release. “The community is safer due to these collaborative efforts. We’re grateful to our law enforcement partners at the FBI & US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana for their ongoing investment in these collaborations.”
Federal Bureau of Investigation and Lawrence Police Department investigated this case.
The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Richard Young.
Young also ordered Lewis to serve five years of supervised release and Turner and Johnson to serve three years following their release from federal prison.
Assistant United States Attorney Jayson W. McGrath prosecuted this case.
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