February 10, 2015

Mt. Vernon, Indiana Man Sentenced to Nine Years for Robbery with a Sawed-Off Shotgun

EVANSVILLE—Josh J. Minkler, Acting United States Attorney, announced today that a Mount Vernon man was sentenced in federal court for his role in a summer 2013, robbery of a convenience store. Roger Thomas, Jr., 20, was sentenced to 108 months (nine years) in prison by U.S. District Chief Judge Richard L. Young after being found guilty of robbery, use of a firearm in connection with a crime of violence, and possession of a sawed off shotgun.

Court documents indicated, Thomas entered a convenience store on West Fourth Street in Mount Vernon, just after midnight on August 20, 2013. He was wearing dark clothing over his head and face as he approached the clerk with a saw-off shotgun and demanded money, threatening to shoot if the clerk did not comply. Thomas took cash, several cartons of cigarettes and lottery tickets as he ran from the store.

Officers from the Mount Vernon Police Department quickly responded and located Thomas sitting in a vehicle near the robbery location. They secured a search warrant for the vehicle and found cash, lottery tickets, cigarettes and the loaded saw-off shotgun used in the robbery.

“The reduction of violent crime remains a top priority for this office,” said Minkler. “Those who choose to terrorize our neighborhoods using violence, will be held strictly accountable and find themselves serving federal time.”

This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force and the Mt. Vernon Police Department.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted the case for the government, Thomas must serve three years of supervised release after his sentence.