Five Men Now Charged In Connection With The Armed Robbery Of Two Grocery Stores In Cahokia

A Federal Grand Jury sitting in East St. Louis has indicted Byron "Josh" Holton, 26, LaMarcus D. Jackson, 28, and Undray C. Webb, 25, with Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery and Interference with Commerce by Robbery, which are both violations of the Hobbs Act, and with Use and Carry of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence in connection with the armed robbery of the Alps Grocery Store that occurred in Cahokia, Illinois on December 11, 2014, Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois announced today. These charges are in addition to the charges Holton, Jackson and Webb were already facing for the January 11, 2015 armed robbery of the Shop ‘n Save in Cahokia. On February 19, 2015, a Federal Grand Jury indicted Holton, Jackson and Webb, along with two others, Durand Harper, 26, and Devante Hodges, 22, for Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery, Interference with Commerce by Robbery, and Use and Carry of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence in connection with the Shop ‘n Save armed robbery.

Documents filed in the U.S. District Court allege that on December 11, 2014, Holton, Jackson and Webb entered the Alps Grocery Store, located at 800 Upper Cahokia Road, in Cahokia, Illinois, masked and armed with three firearms. Holton, Jackson and Webb pointed the firearms at the store employees and demanded money. Holton, Jackson and Webb all took money from two registers and a safe located within the office and fled the store.

The documents further allege that on January 11, 2015, Holton, Jackson, Webb, and Hodges entered the Shop ‘n Save, located at 1028 Camp Jackson Road in Cahokia, Illinois, masked, gloved and armed with four firearms. Holton, Jackson, Webb, and Hodges pointed the firearms at employees and customers within the store. Holton jumped the service counter and demanded the employees place money from the safe into a black book bag while Jackson, Webb and Hodges stood guard at the door with their firearms. Holton, Jackson, Webb and Hodges then left the store and fled the area in a vehicle being driven by Harper.

If convicted of any of the Hobbs Act violations, the defendants all face a term in prison of up to 20 years on each count, a fine of up to $250,000, or both, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. If convicted of the offense of Use of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence in connection with the armed robbery of the Shop ‘n Save, all five defendants face a minimum term in prison of 7 years up to a maximum term of Life, consecutive to, meaning in addition to, any term of imprisonment imposed on the Hobbs Act violations, as well as a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release of up to 5 years. Additionally, if Holton, Jackson and Webb are convicted of a second offense of Use of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence in connection with the armed robbery of Alps Grocery Store, the three face a minimum term in prison of 25 years up to a maximum of Life, consecutive to the term of imprisonment imposed on all other counts of conviction.

An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant that is comprised of the essential facts constituting the offense charged. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.

The case is being investigated by the Cahokia Police Department, the Sauget Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation as part of the Metro East Armed Robbery Initiative. The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Ali Summers for prosecution.