An Indianapolis man has been sentenced to a lengthy period behind bars after pleading guilty to a violent crime spree that terrorized a local business. George Sisk, 47, will serve 13 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release for charges including armed robbery, discharging a firearm during a crime, and illegal possession of a firearm, the U.S. Attorney's Office reports.
The incident, which took place at Community Spirits Liquor Store on MLK Street, turned violent after the store employee attempted to stop Sisk from leaving with stolen alcohol. After realizing the store's doors were locked, Sisk fired a gunshot, injuring the employee, before escaping with a bottle of tequila. The arrest and the subsequent search at his residence, led to the recovery of a firearm and the clothes worn during the robbery.
Sisk, a convicted felon with previous narcotics-related charges, was prohibited from legally possessing a firearm, adding to the gravity of his offenses. His past likely weighed heavily in the sentencing, emphasizing the concern over his repeated disregard for the law and public safety.
John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, reflected on the sentence, stating, "We repeat this notion time after time; everyone deserves to feel safe at their place of work." He added, "Sisk felt it was necessary to shoot an innocent victim, standing in the way of just one bottle of alcohol. This kind of reckless behavior with no regard for the safety of human life is a threat to our entire community and deserves the serious federal prison sentence imposed today."
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter A. Blackett and Corbin Houston were commended for their work in prosecuting the case.
