Georgia Man Sentenced to Over 22 Years in Prison for Role in Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced that Darrell Gillespie, of Smyrna, Georgia, was sentenced to 265 months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to commit armed home invasions of drug dealers.  Gillespie was convicted after a nearly three week jury trial in January 2015. The federal jury found Gillespie and his co-defendant, Jamaa Johnson, 36, of Wytheville, Virginia, guilty of conspiracy to commit armed robbery and using firearms in crimes of violence, as well as obstruction of justice charges. Johnson previously was sentenced to over 19 years in prison for his role in the conspiracy.

“Gillespie and his co-conspirators committed a string of armed home invasions, wreaking havoc in multiple states for months,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “I commend the work of the investigative agencies and my team that got this violent crew off our streets.”

The conspiracy involved armed robberies dating back to the fall of 2011 in Pittsburgh. Gillespie, joined by others involved in the conspiracy, traveled to Pittsburgh to rob a drug dealer. After the robbery, the men came back to Charleston to split up marijuana stolen in the robbery. Over the next four months, Gillespie, Johnson, or their co-conspirators, participated in six more robberies in West Virginia and Virginia. All involved firearms, and during a January 18, 2012, robbery in Charleston, the victim was shot in the leg and stabbed. 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the South Charleston Police Department, and the Charleston Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Monica D. Coleman handled the prosecution. United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:13-cr-00091.

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