Cahokia men sentenced to federal prison for armed robbery

On October 13, 2016, Undray Webb, 27, and Durand Harper, 27, both of Cahokia, Illinois, received federal prison terms for armed robbery, Donald S. Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois announced today.

Webb was sentenced to 21 years in prison. On November 5, 2015, Webb had pled guilty to all six counts of an indictment, which charged him with two counts of Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery and Interference with Commerce by Robbery, which are violations of the Hobbs Act, and with two counts of 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 on December 11, 2014 and the armed robbery of Shop n’ Save that occurred in Cahokia on January 11, 2015. In addition to the prison sentence, Webb was also ordered to pay $8,700 in restitution to the victims and a $600 special assessment. Webb will be on federal supervised release for 5 years once he is released from prison.

Harper was sentenced to four years in prison. On January 14, 2016, Harper had pled guilty to all three counts of an indictment, which charged him with Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery, Interference with Commerce by Robbery, and Use of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, Donald S. Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today. The Armed Robbery counts arise from the federal Hobbs Act, which makes it a crime to obstruct, delay or affect interstate commerce by robbery, and is used by United States Attorney Boyce as a way to combat armed robbery in

the Southern District of Illinois. Following his prison sentence, Harper will be on federal supervised release for 3 years. Harper was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $7,000.

Documents filed in the U.S. District Court establish that on December 11, 2014, Webb, Lamarcus Jackson and Byron Holton entered the Alps Grocery Store, located at 800 Upper Cahokia Road, in Cahokia, Illinois, masked and armed with three firearms. Webb, Jackson and Holton pointed the firearms at the store employees and took approximately $1,700 from the registers and a safe and fled the store.

The documents further establish that one month later, on January 11, 2015, Webb, Jackson, Holton, and a fourth conspirator, Devante Hodges entered the Shop n’ Save, located at 1028 Camp Jackson Road in Cahokia, Illinois, masked, gloved and armed with firearms. Webb, Jackson, Holton 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 Webb, Jackson and Hodges stood guard at the door with their firearms. Webb, Jackson, Holton and Hodges then left the store and fled the area in a getaway vehicle being driven by Harper. Approximately $7,000 was stolen during the robbery.

During an interview by law enforcement, Webb admitted to being one of the three gunmen who robbed the Alps Grocery Store and identified Holton and Jackson as the other two gunmen. Webb also admitted to being one of the four gunmen who robbed the Shop n’ Save a month later and identified Holton, Jackson and Hodges as the other three gunmen and Harper as the getaway driver. Webb admitted that he received approximately $1,000 in proceeds from the Shop n’ Save robbery.

Harper was also interviewed by law enforcement. During the interview Harper identified Holton, Webb, Jackson and Hodges as the four men who robbed the Shop n’ Save at gunpoint. Harper admitted that he was aware of their plan to rob the grocery store at gunpoint and that he drove the four gunmen away from the area of the Shop n’ Save after the robbery. Harper received approximately $300 in proceeds for his participation in the robbery.

In February of 2016, Jackson pled guilty to a six-count indictment, and in June of 2016, was sentenced to 44 ½ years in prison. In July of 2015, Hodges pled guilty to a three count indictment, and in November of 2015 was sentenced to 9 ½ years in prison. On October 3, 2016, Holton was tried and found

guilty by a jury of one count of Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery. He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 9, 2017.

The case was investigated by the Cahokia Police Department, the Sauget Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Ali Summers for prosecution.