Three Indianapolis men are headed to federal prison after a July 2024 armed robbery spree that hit gas stations and a Dollar Tree, according to federal authorities. Emmanuel Collins, 27, and Jujuan Beecher, 25, each received 18-year sentences, while a third man, Tayveon Majors, was previously sentenced in 2025 to five years and three months. Investigators say the case broke open after the July 18, 2024 robbery of a Dollar Tree on Washington Street.
Sentences, Pleas and Counts
According to WIBC, Collins pleaded guilty to three counts of interference with commerce by robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm. A federal judge sentenced him to 18 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Beecher pleaded guilty to four counts of interference with commerce by robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm and drew the same 18-year sentence plus three years of supervised release.
Majors pleaded guilty to two counts of interference with commerce by robbery and, in a separate 2025 hearing, was sentenced to five years and three months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In federal time, that is a serious stretch, and all three men will be living with the consequences long after they leave prison.
How the Spree Unfolded and the Arrest
Court documents reviewed in reporting show the robberies took place between July 4 and July 18, 2024, and included at least three gas station stickups and the Washington Street Dollar Tree, investigators say, according to WIBC. During the Dollar Tree robbery, suspects stole cigarettes, lottery tickets and thousands of dollars in cash, according to investigators.
Police arrested Collins, Beecher and Majors shortly after that Dollar Tree hit and recovered three handguns from their getaway vehicle, the records state. U.S. Attorney Tom Wheeler put it bluntly: “No one who is shopping for their family or simply working for a living should face the threat of armed robbery.” FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley added that the defendants “used firearms and violence to terrorize innocent people for their own personal gain,” as reported by WIBC.
Federal Probe and Operation Take Back America
Investigators say the FBI’s Indianapolis Division and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department handled the case as part of Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative that pulls together federal, state and local resources to go after violent offenders and transnational threats, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Local and federal officials say that coordination, which links programs like Project Safe Neighborhoods and OCDETF, was key to both the investigation and the prosecution.
What the Charges Mean
The robberies were prosecuted under the federal Hobbs Act, interference with commerce by robbery, which is codified at 18 U.S.C. § 1951 and can carry up to 20 years in prison per count. The separate firearm counts reflect mandatory additional penalties under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). Legal resources and sentencing data note that brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence brings its own mandatory minimums that stack on top of the robbery sentence, which helps explain the lengthy terms announced by prosecutors. For the statutory language, see the Legal Information Institute and the related firearm provision at the Legal Information Institute.
Local Impact
Federal prosecutors say these sentences are meant to send a clear message that armed robberies of neighborhood retailers will be met with heavy time. They also stress that the goal is to reassure cashiers, clerks and customers that the feds will step in when violence hits routine daily errands.
Authorities asked anyone with information about similar incidents to contact IMPD robbery detectives or the FBI’s Indianapolis field office. In other words, if you know about a robbery crew operating in the same way, they want to hear about it before the next holdup happens.
