Janesville Man Sentenced to 13 Years for Multiple Armed Robberies & Brandishing a Firearm

MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Devonti Wilson, 38, Janesville, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 13 years in federal prison for armed robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. This prison term will be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. Wilson pleaded guilty to these charges on March 21, 2023.

On September 8, 2020, Wilson robbed a Lion’s Quick Mart in Janesville. During the robbery, Wilson pointed a gun at the clerk and demanded money and cigarettes; he also told the clerk to “hurry up or you’ll die.” Wilson then left the store with money and cigarettes. Over the next three hours, Wilson committed similar armed robberies at a Kelley Williamson Mobil in Fitchburg, Wisconsin and a 7-Eleven in Madison, Wisconsin. He also attempted a fourth armed robbery at a BP in Madison.

On September 10, 2020, Wilson committed four more armed robberies in Janesville. Within one hour, he robbed a Kwik Trip, a second Lion’s Quick Mart, a Tigermart Exxon, and a Walgreens. In each robbery, Wilson brandished a gun at an employee. Shortly after the last robbery, police found Wilson in a vehicle near his home and arrested him. Inside the vehicle officers found bait bills from one of the convenience stores, cash, cartons of cigarettes, and a loaded 9mm firearm.

At the time of these offenses, Wilson had been convicted of multiple felony offenses and was prohibited from possessing a firearm. He was also on active state supervision in connection to a 2018 conviction for committing a robbery with use of force.

In sentencing Wilson, Judge Conley remarked that the amount of money Wilson took from each store paled in comparison to the terrorism he imposed on each employee. Judge Conley stated a significant sentence was warranted in this case as no prior sentence had deterred Wilson from committing additional crimes.

The charges against Wilson were the result of an investigation conducted by the Janesville, Fitchburg, and Madison Police Departments and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus prosecuted this case. 

This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime.  The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.