Cleveland Woman Sentenced to 24 Months for Aiding Armed Robbery

Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that the last of three individuals involved in a 2019-armed robbery of a Rally’s restaurant in Elyria was sentenced on Monday, November 1, 2021, for her role in the incident.

Alonda Bryant, 24, of Cleveland, was sentenced by Judge Dan Aaron Polster to 24 months imprisonment after Bryant pleaded guilty to attempted interference with commerce by means of robbery in April of 2021.

Previously sentenced in this matter was James. A. Jackson, 29, of Cleveland, to 130 months imprisonment and DeMario J. Horton, 32, of Cleveland, to 120 months.

According to court documents, on June 11, 2019, Jackson, armed with a box-cutter, and Horton, armed with a firearm, entered a Rally’s restaurant in Elyria at approximately 2:45 a.m. and forced the store manager and other employees into a supply closet while they committed the robbery.  Elyria Police observed Jackson and Horton exit the restaurant shortly after the robbery and stopped the vehicle that the two were occupying.

After searching the vehicle, police discovered claw hammers, latex gloves, a semi-automatic magazine with .45 caliber rounds in the glove box, a wallet belonging to the Rally’s store manager and clothing matching the description of the suspect’s clothing from the robbery. The following day, officers located an empty semi-automatic firearm in a bush behind the door where Horton and Jackson entered and exited the building. 

While reviewing surveillance footage of the incident, police noticed a Rally’s employee, Alonda Bryant, opening the side restaurant doors to allow Jackson and Horton into the building and later fleeing the scene.  After an investigation, police learned that Bryant had listed co-defendant DeMario Horton as her spouse and emergency contact on her employment application. 

After fleeing the scene, Bryant placed a diversionary call to 911 for a location approximately a half-mile away in an attempt to obstruct police. However, police dispatch determined that the call actually came from the location of the Rally’s restaurant.

Jackson pleaded guilty to attempted interference with commerce by means of robbery, using or carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition in November of 2020.

Horton pleaded guilty to attempted interference with commerce by means of robbery, using or carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition in February of 2020.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Elyria Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Margaret A. Kane and Bryson N. Gillard.