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Press Release

Serial Armed Robber Sentenced to 33 Years in Prison

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Michigan

A Detroit man was sentenced to 33 years in federal prison after having pleaded guilty earlier this year to armed robbery and firearms offenses, announced United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade.

McQuade was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge David P. Gelios, Federal Bureau of Investigation.

 Elan Andrews, 29, of Detroit was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Gerald E. Rosen in Detroit.

According to court records, Andrews was the leader of a several man robbery crew that committed armed robberies of Little Caesar’s fast food stores in Oak Park and Dearborn in March of 2008.  Andrews and his accomplices would enter the restaurant wearing hoodies, display a firearm, and demand the contents of the cash register and safe before fleeing to a waiting vehicle with an occupant inside.  The “hoodies” worn during the robberies were unique "hoodies"  in that one had a skeletal-like design on the chest area and the other had a web-like design on its chest area. Hence, law enforcement dubbed them the "Spiderman Crew." In addition, the hood of each hoodie zipped from the back portion of the hood all the way down below the front chest portion. Each hoodie, once zipped, had a built in mask that enclosed and hid the wearer's face behind a built-in dark mesh material. The two robberies were part of a rash of robberies of commercial fast food restaurants over a two-week period during the spring of 2008. The robberies were wide-spread and targeted restaurants in Detroit and surrounding suburban communities, including Ferndale, Birmingham, Redford, and Oak Park.

Andrews, and other members of the crew, were apprehended as a result of a task force comprised of officers from the Detroit Police Department and several suburban law enforcement agencies that dedicated several of its officers to the task force in an effort to stop this particular crime spree.

US Attorney McQuade stated, “We hope that violent offenders will take note of this type of sentence and put down their guns."

Co-defendants Jamal Muhammad received a sentence of 9 ½ years, Anthony Sampson received a sentence of 6 years and Elisha Whitehead received a sentence of 15 years.

United States Attorney McQuade praised the work of all officers and agencies involved for the diligent pursuit and investigation of the men who were intent on terrorizing businesses, employees and customers in the Detroit area. 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Terrence Haugabook and Shane Cralle.

Updated May 6, 2016

Topic
Violent Crime