Man accused of robbing at least 10 Indianapolis businesses across 4-month span

INDIANAPOLIS — A man has been arrested and faces nearly three dozen charges stemming from a string of armed robberies of at least 10 different businesses during a period of roughly four months.

Jovonni Sanders, 26, is charged with a total of 35 different counts connected with the robberies, which took place between Dec. 5, 2021, and March 8, 2022, according to court records.

Sanders' charges include the following:

• 15 counts of armed robbery as a level 3 felony
• Three counts of robbery as a level 5 felony
• 14 counts of pointing a firearm as a level 6 felony
• One count of battery by means of a deadly weapon, a level 6 felony
• One count of criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon, a level 6 felony

IMPD officers began investigating Sanders on Dec. 28, 2021 after receiving reports of a series of similar robberies. Several of them took place on the same day and involved a suspect described as a 6-foot-tall Black male

An investigation tied him to robberies at the following locations and dates:

• Dec. 5, 2021, at Shell Gas Station, 2960 S. Meridian St.
• Dec. 5, 2021, at Speedway, 5345 S. East St.
• Dec. 6, 2021, at 21st Amendment Liquor, 3939 S. Keystone Ave.
• Dec. 26, 2021, at Speedway, 401 Kentucky Ave.
• Dec. 26, 2021, at Shell Gas, 7020 McFarland Blvd.
• Jan. 2, 2022, at Village Pantry, 1415 W. 86th St.
• Jan.17, 2022, at Dollar General, 6908 Madison Ave.
• Jan. 20, 2022, at Super Tacos, 7853 N. Michigan Road
• March 5, 2022, at Circle K, 6402 W. 10th St.
• March 8, 2022, at Dollar Tree, 3489 W. 86th St.

A probable cause affidavit lists additional robberies IMPD was also investigated around and during this time period, but police have only connected Sanders to a total of 10 robberies.

The affidavit also states that Sanders told officers there may have been another person involved in some of the robberies.

Police executed a search warrant on Sanders' vehicle and home and took him into custody on April 1 on the city's far north side.

Sanders is scheduled to appear for an initial hearing Friday ahead of a pre-trial conference Jan. 31, 2023, and a jury trial Feb. 6, 2023 — all in Marion Superior Court.