INDIANAPOLIS - Corey Rice, 19, and Antonio Williams, 19, both of Indianapolis, have been sentenced to 60 and 66 months respectively in federal prison after pleading guilty to three counts of interference with commerce by robbery.According to court documents, on April 23, 2023, Corey Rice and Antonio Williams robbed a Subway restaurant located in Beech Grove. Both men approached the employees and threatened them with weapons that appeared to be firearms, demanded cash, and obtained about $400.On April 30, 2023, at approximately 5:15pm, Rice and Williams robbed Indy Smoke Time in Greenwood. They again brandished apparent firearms at the employees, demanded cash, and walked out with $570. On the same day, just 45 minutes later, Rice and Williams robbed a Family Dollar store on West Washington Street in Indianapolis, also brandishing apparent firearms. The duo left with an unidentified sum of money.Approximately ten minutes after the Family Dollar robbery, IMPD officers observed Rice and Williams arrive at an apartment complex on the Central Canal in downtown Indianapolis. Prior to making arrests, officers observed both defendants dispose of grey trash bags. Williams was subsequently interviewed and admitted that he threw the cash from the robberies into the canal after seeing police approach.

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“Armed robbery is a serious offense that puts innocent lives at risk for nothing more than a quick buck. These young men falsely believed they could terrorize and threaten law-abiding citizens and businesses without any repercussion,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers. “We are grateful for the quick actions taken by IMPD and FBI to halt these criminals in their track and reduce the possibility of even more gun violence.”“These two men used guns to intimidate workers, putting innocent people in fear for their lives so they could steal a few hundred dollars from the cash registers. The sentences imposed send a clear message that these are serious crimes and the people who utilize these violent acts will be held accountable,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “Through continued collaboration with our partners, the FBI will work tirelessly to ensure the safety of our communities.”FBI and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Evans Barker. Judge Barker also ordered that Rice and Williams each be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following their release from federal prison.U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy C. Fugate, 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.