INDIANAPOLIS — A judge sentenced a 22-year-old man to 40 years in prison for a series of armed robberies in Indianapolis, one of which resulted in a man's death.
According to court documents and evidence presented in district court, Angel Montano of Indianapolis and co-conspirators committed four armed robberies between July 19, 2020 and July 28, 2020.
The United States Attorney’s Office Southern District of Indiana said Montano facilitated and orchestrated the armed robberies through online marketplaces, OfferUp and LetGo, by bringing victims to his location to buy a cellphone that he listed for sale.
During the first three robberies, court documents say Montano and his co-conspirators pretended to sell an iPhone 11 Max Pro for $800. When the victims arrived at the Peppermill Farms Apartments on the city's northeast side, Montano and the others showed firearms and demanded money.
Court documents say one of the victims arranged to meet with Montano with her two children — ages 8 and 13 — to buy the iPhone, when Montano placed a gun against her thigh and stole her iPhone, as well as an iPhone and Apple Air pods that belonged to one of her children.
In the fourth robbery, court documents say a 26-year-old man met Montano at a different Indianapolis home, but the victim was allegedly disturbed by three masked men who approached his vehicle.
When the victim later returned that same evening with cash and his brother out of fear for his safety, Montano allegedly prevented them from leaving by blocking their vehicle with his truck.
Court documents say Montano then fired multiple shots, hitting both men, one of whom died. The brother who survived needed surgery and spent several days in the hospital while healing from multiple gunshots, according to court documents.
After serving his sentence, the judge also ruled Montano must serve five years of probation.
"The defendant's crime spree demonstrated his utter disregard for human life. His choice to engage in senseless violence took an innocent man from his loving family forever," U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers said in a statement. "A sentence of four decades in federal prison will protect the public from this murderous criminal and brings some measure of justice to the victims. Reducing gun violence is a top priority for our office, and we will continue to use our federal resources to hold violent offenders accountable."