MARYVILLE, IL. - An Arkansas man was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison after admitting he robbed a motel in Maryville, Illinois, at gunpoint in May 2023, authorities said in a case investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Maryville Police Department.
U.S. District Judge sentenced Rickey Martin Jr., 36, in East St. Louis, after Martin pleaded guilty in November to one count of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing and use of a firearm during a crime of violence. He was also ordered to pay $1,440 in restitution and will serve three years of supervised release after his prison term.
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“Gun violence will not be tolerated,” U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft said. “All thieves lack honor, but armed robbers embody a special evil, because they use violence and intimidation to take what they have neither earned, created, nor deserved, from the innocent people who have.”
According to court documents, Martin admitted he robbed the owner of a motel in Maryville, brandishing a firearm loaded with an extended magazine and forcefully stealing the victim’s wallet and cash from the motel. Shortly after the robbery, authorities said, Martin used the victim’s credit cards at a gas station and a fast-food restaurant.
“The Maryville Police Department is grateful for the strong partnership between our local and federal law enforcement partners that helped bring this case to a successful conclusion,” Maryville Police Chief Tony Manley said. “Investigations like this show that when agencies work together and share information, we can hold offenders accountable and protect our community.”
“The sentence imposed in this case reflects the serious consequences violent offenders face when they commit violent crimes using firearms,” said Christopher Amon, special agent in charge of the ATF Chicago Field Division. “ATF, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in ensuring that those who commit acts of violence are held accountable.”
ATF and the Maryville Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ali Burns prosecuted the case.