NEW ALBANY, Ind. — An Indianapolis man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in the 2014 robbery and murder of a gun store owner near North Vernon, Indiana.
DeJuan Andre Worthen, along with two of his family members, Darryl Worthen and Darion Harris, traveled to southern Indiana in September of 2014 to scope out the inventory at the Muscatatuck Outdoors Gun Shop. The next day, the three of them returned to the store, disconnected the store's security camera and robbed, shot and killed the owner, Scott Maxie.
When they returned home to Indianapolis, they sold some of the 45 guns they had stolen and kept several for themselves. DeJuan Worthen pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting in the crime, and other charges were dropped as part of the plea agreement.
The case was one of three gun dealer robberies that month, and they all happened in one week's time.
"This type of senseless violence is something no family or community should have to face," said acting U.S. Attorney John E. Childress. "This sentence should send a loud and clear message that gun violence cannot and will not be tolerated in the Southern District of Indiana. Those committing such violent acts will be held accountable for their actions."
Darryl Worthen and Harris have already been sentenced in the crime. Darryl Worthen was sentenced to 60 years in prison in November 2015. He was the one who shot and killed Maxie with a semiautomatic gun. Harris was sentenced to 30 years in prison in July 2019.
After his sentence, DeJuan Worthen will also have to serve three years of supervised release.
"The decision to have these individuals charged federally was made after thoughtful consultation with the family members," said Jennings County Prosecutor Brian Belding. "My goal was that the individuals responsible for this heinous act serve the maximum sentence under the law. This was accomplished under the federal sentencing guidelines."
Belding said he hoped Maxie's family could have closure now that all three defendants had been sentenced.
The ATF, Indiana State Police, IMPD, the Jennings County Sheriff's Office and the Jennings County Prosecutor's Office all assisted in the investigation of the crime.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Indiana State Police, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, the Jennings County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jennings County Prosecutor's Office.
