Federal prosecution resulted from “Project Recoil"
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - United States Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr. announced the conviction yesterday, of a violent felon for his role in a string of armed robberies in Metro Louisville. The federal charges stemmed from “Project Recoil," the on-going partnership of multiple Jefferson County, Kentucky law enforcement agencies, developed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky, to maximize penalties for the most violent offenders and to reduce violent crime in our community.
“This conviction will ensure that Jescell Whittle, a violent offender, who threatened businesses and customers with deadly force, will be off our streets and behind bars for a long time," Stated U.S. Attorney John Kuhn. “Project Recoil, our law enforcement partnership, is working to identify and successfully prosecute the most dangerous offenders in our community and this conviction is an example of how well our partnership is working."
Jescell Whittle was convicted of the obstruction of interstate commerce through robbery of two businesses, and using a firearm in connection with the two robberies following a six-day trial before Chief Judge Joseph H. McKinley, Jr. Sentencing is scheduled for December 6, 2016, in Louisville.
This successful prosecution has resulted in the sentencing of four co-defendants, to lengthy prison sentences, for their roles in the armed robberies of two Cricket Wirelesses and three convenience stores in Metro Louisville.
Co-defendants James Gore, Jr. was sentenced to serve 72 months in prison followed by a three year period of supervised release, Tony Trumbo, Jr. was sentenced to serve a combined 255 months in prison followed by a three year period of supervised release for their roles in the armed robberies of three businesses located in Jefferson County, Kentucky. Both were sentenced on July 9, 2015.
Gore previously pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the obstruction of interstate commerce through robbery of two businesses. Trumbo previously pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the obstruction of interstate commerce through robbery, attempted robbery of three businesses, and aiding and abetting the discharge of a firearm during a robbery.
According to the plea agreement, Gore admitted to robbing a Thorntons, with several other individuals, located at 4516 Poplar Level Road on Oct. 30, 2012, and to robbing a Speedway, with several other individuals, located on 3030 Taylor Boulevard on Oct. 31, 2012. Surveillance video taken from the Thorntons robbery shows Gore brandishing two firearms during the robbery.
In a separate plea agreement, defendant Trumbo admitted to attempting to rob the Cricket Wireless store, located at 3125 W. Broadway, along with other individuals, on Oct. 23, 2012. Surveillance video taken from the store shows Trumbo along with an accomplice who was brandishing a firearm, attempting to rob the store. Trumbo also admitted to being one of several people to rob the Thorntons located at 4516 Poplar Level Road, on Oct. 30, 2012. Trumbo further admitted to being one of several people to rob the Speedway located at 3030 Taylor Boulevard on Oct. 31, 2012. During the course of that robbery, Whittle shot a Speedway customer in the back causing serious bodily injury.
Co-defendant Dahntel Newsome pleaded guilty to multiple charges on September 9, 2015, and was sentenced to 243 months in prison. Newsome admitted to being the getaway driver during the robbery by his co-defendants of the Crickett Wireless store on Cane Run Road. He further admitted to being the getaway driver during the robbery of the Cricket Wireless Store on West Broadway in Louisville, and admitted to using a handgun and threatening to shoot the clerk in the foot during the robbery of the JC Cigarette Outlet located on Crums Lane and driving the getaway vehicle.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys A. Spencer McKiness and Rob Bonar, and was investigated by the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
