A Gary man was sentenced to more than eight years in prison for his role as a getaway driver in a robbery of more than $17,000 in cellphones and cash last year.
Vondell Henry Jr., 21, pleaded guilty in March to charges of Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Henry was sentenced Thursday in federal court in Hammond to 105 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
About 5:45 p.m. Aug. 1, 2017, Henry drove three others to rob the Cellular Connection Verizon Wireless store at Ridge Road and Calumet Avenue in Munster where “there were a number of customers, including children,” inside, a memorandum states.
Henry waited in the silver Nissan as the others went in the store, court records show. Deshalone Davis and another person had handguns, and they ordered employees to hand over 25 cellphones worth $16,640.05 and $371 from the register, a memorandum states.
Police spotted the Nissan near 15th Avenue and Burr Street in Gary and followed it to an apartment building near 19th Place and Hanley Street, court records show.
“The car parked and Henry surrendered to police but the other four robbers all fled on foot,” the memorandum states.
Police gave chase, and Ke-Monte Cobbs was shot by a Gary police officer. Cobbs died Aug. 2, 2017, and the Lake County prosecutor’s office later ruled that the officer was justified in the shooting.
Cobbs’ mother, Tasheena Brooks,
Henry admitted to his involvement in the robbery to police, court records show. Henry “did not possess a weapon” on him, and “there is no indication that Mr. Henry took part in the planning of the offense,” the defense argued in court records. Henry was “less culpable” than Davis, according to the defense.
Davis, 21,
The case was investigated by the FBI GRIT task force along with Munster, Gary and Griffith police. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Chang.
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