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

WRTV

By: Lucas Gonzalez

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.