INDIANAPOLIS – Lamont Vales, 25, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 29 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to six counts of interference with commerce by robbery, two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
According to court documents, between December 29, 2019, and January 22, 2020, Lamont Vales robbed six Indianapolis Arby’s and Subway restaurants at gunpoint. During each robbery he pretended to be a customer. Once he reached the register, he brandished a pistol at with an extended magazine and ordered employees to give him cash from the restaurant’s register or safe. The robberies the Defendant committed are summarized as follows:
On January 22, 2020, Vales again robbed the same Arby’s he robbed thirteen days earlier. One of the employees who was aware of the previous robbery began chasing Vales. The chase lasted for about a block before Vales turned around and fired four shots at the employee. The employee was physically unharmed.
Evidence technicians located 9mm shell casings at the crime scene were able to locate fingerprints that identified Vales as the suspect. IMPD detectives conducted a court-authorized search of Vales’ residence. Investigators seized the clothing and shoes worn by Vales in the six robberies. During a recorded interview, Vales admitted to committing each of the six robberies using a 9mm semiautomatic pistol.
At the time of his arrest, Vales had been previously convicted of carrying a handgun without a license and has a pending charge for battery resulting in serious bodily injury.
“Six times in three short weeks, this armed criminal terrorized employees and patrons of Indianapolis restaurants,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “No one should be forced to fear for their lives simply because they went to work or for a bite to eat. To make our neighborhoods safer, gun violence must be met with serious consequences. Our federal prosecutors are committed to working with the outstanding investigators of the FBI and IMPD to ensure that violent, armed criminals are taken off our streets and held accountable for the damage they cause.”
The FBI and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Matthew P. Brookman. Judge Brookman also ordered that Vales be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following his release from federal prison and pay $1,100 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Corbin D. Houston, who prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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