HAMMOND — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)), published as received.
HAMMOND – Andrew Wells, Sr., 51 years old, of Orlando, Florida, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to robbery affecting commerce, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Andrew Wells, Sr., was sentenced to 57 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $25,699 in restitution to the victims of the offense.
According to documents in the case, on October 25, 2022, in Hammond, Indiana, Wells robbed two cigarette delivery workers of 11 cases and 2 cartons of cigarettes valued at $25,699 with another robber while a third robber held the victim workers at gunpoint.
“Andrew Wells, Sr. has been sentenced to a lengthy federal prison term for orchestrating a violent, armed robbery against delivery drivers employed by the very company he was hired to protect. Our delivery workers provide an essential service to our communities, and they have the absolute right to do their jobs without a firearm pointed at their faces. The defendant did not just commit an act of senseless violence; he utterly violated a position of trust. Instead of protecting his colleagues, he used his insider knowledge as a security guard to target them, making his crimes particularly egregious and fully deserving of today’s severe sentence. This successful prosecution sends a clear message that violent crime will be met with swift and decisive justice. We are deeply grateful for the seamless collaboration and tireless efforts of the FBI’s Gang Response Investigative Team (GRIT) Task Force and the Hammond Police Department. Their exceptional teamwork ensured this dangerous individual was taken off our streets and held fully accountable,” said United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
“People should be able to go to work, do their jobs, and make it home safely without having a gun pointed at them,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “This defendant took advantage of his position of trust and used what he knew about the company’s operations to target innocent workers and put their lives at risk. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to follow the evidence, identify those responsible for violent crimes, and make sure they are held accountable.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation/Gang Response Investigative Team Task Force and the Hammond Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dean R. Lanter.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
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