EVANSVILLE- Darion Cartwright, 33, of Vanderburgh County, Indiana, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to armed robbery and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on July 8, 2019, Cartwright entered the Circle K Kangaroo Express located on South Kentucky Avenue in Evansville, Indiana and robbed an employee at gunpoint. After brandishing a .22 caliber revolver and threatening the employee, Cartwright walked away with approximately $365. Evansville Police Department (EPD) Officers were alerted to the robbery and quickly asked for assistance from the public by providing security camera images of Cartwright’s unique arm tattoos.
Later that same evening, EPD officers were dispatched to the Arbors at Eastland Apartment Complex on a report of intimidation. The victim told officers that Cartwright forced her to drive him to an Enterprise Car Rental and rent a vehicle for him. Cartwright threatened the victim, telling her that “bad things were going to happen” if she did not comply with his demands. The victim used her information to pay for a rental Dodge Journey for Cartwright to use.
Officers obtained a search warrant for the vehicle and for Cartwright’s apartment unit. After a short stand-off with a SWAT team, Cartwright exited the apartment and was taken into custody. During a search of the Dodge Journey, officers recovered a black duffle bag that contained synthetic marijuana, 54.1 grams of methamphetamine, the same .22 caliber revolver used in the Circle K robbery, and $431 in cash.
Prior to his arrest, Cartwright was convicted of felony Armed Robbery and felony Robbery in Vanderburgh County. These previous felony convictions prohibit Cartwright from lawfully possessing a firearm.
United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A Myers and Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office made the announcement.
“This repeat, armed robber has been a menace to the people of Vanderburgh County,” said U.S. Attorney Myers. “His violent crimes have no place in our communities, and we are safer with him behind federal prison bars. I commend the bravery of the victim who sought assistance from law enforcement officers, and the work of the FBI and Evansville Police Department to ensure he is held responsible for his actions.”
“The success of this case highlights the hard work of our agents and law enforcement partners to identify and remove a violent individual such as this from our streets and ensure residents feel safe in their community,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “We remain committed to holding those who engage in criminal activity accountable for their crimes.”
The FBI investigated this case with valuable assistance provided by the Evansville Police Department. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young. Judge Young also ordered that Cartwright be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years following his release from federal prison. Cartwright must also pay $365 in restitution to Circle K.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Matthew B. Miller, 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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