Two Indianapolis Men Sentenced to a Combined 17 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robbery of Southport Road Gas Station

INDIANAPOLIS- Bryan Johnson-Taylor, 23, and John Wilson, 19, of Indianapolis, have been sentenced to nine and a half and eight years, respectively, in federal prison, with each followed by three years of supervised release. Both men pleaded guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.

According to court documents, on August 1, 2022, at approximately 3:06 A.M., Johnson-Taylor and Wilson entered the Circle K gas station on East Southport Road in Indianapolis. Once inside, the pair brandished semi-automatic handguns and pointed them at the victim employee, demanding money from the register. Both men removed cash from the register, stole cigarettes from shelf, and took the victim employee's cell phone.

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) officers were able to track the robbers whereabouts using electronic surveillance. Officers with the Beech Grove Police Department located the men approximately one-half mile north of the Circle K. In Wilson's backpack, officers located a Glock 9mm caliber handgun, as well as the stolen cigarettes and cash. Johnson-Taylor was located hiding in nearby bushes with another backpack. Next to where Johnson-Taylor was hiding, officers located a Glock Model 45 handgun.

"Armed criminals who terrorize our community must be held accountable," said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. "I am thankful for the quick reaction of the responding IMPD and Beech Grove officers, preventing the defendants from getting away with their crimes and further endangering the public. The serious federal prison sentence imposed here demonstrates our commitment to working closely with the FBI, and all our partners in federal, state, and local law enforcement as we seek to reduce gun violence."

The FBI investigated this case, with valuable assistance provided by IMPD and the Beech Grove Police Department. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Matthew P. Brookman.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Jayson McGrath, who prosecuted this case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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