Two Topeka cousins who held up a local food truck at gunpoint are headed to federal prison after a March 2024 robbery that left the operator injured and the owners stripped of a full day’s receipts, authorities say. Deon Ikner, 21, and Aaron Whitehead, 25, each pleaded guilty and were ordered to serve 71 months behind bars for the stickup.
Following an #FBI and @Topeka_Police investigation, Kansas cousins were sentenced to 71 months in prison for robbing & assaulting food truck owners. Read more at https://t.co/QY8mqOw3oB https://t.co/UTBKlyFIgH
— FBI Kansas City (@FBIKansasCity) July 24, 2026
Food truck owners ambushed after closing time
According to local reporting from WIBW, the couple who ran the truck, a husband-and-wife team, had just wrapped up work and were unloading when the cousins moved in. The male owner was struck with a handgun and threatened as the robbers demanded the cash the pair had earned that day.
Federal prosecutors outline the case
A press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Kansas states that Ikner and Whitehead each pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery. Both men received 71-month federal prison sentences. Prosecutors say investigators matched them to booking photos and that the pair made off with the cash from that day’s food truck sales.
Officials condemn the attack
U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser, using notably sharp language in the federal release, said the cousins felt so entitled to money they did not earn that they violently accosted a couple who had just finished a long day on the job. FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Chris Ormerod added that anyone who takes part in violent crime in Kansas can expect the FBI and its partners to pursue accountability. The overall account matches details reported by WIBW.
Why food trucks are tempting targets
Industry observers say the crime also taps into a familiar risk for food trucks and small mobile vendors: they often work in open, lightly guarded public spaces and may carry significant amounts of cash at closing time. A report from the Travelers Institute on cargo and vendor theft notes that food and beverage items are frequent targets because they are easy to resell and tough to trace, a mix that can put smaller operators in the crosshairs. That context helps explain why both federal agents and local police moved quickly on this case.
Legal note
The charge the men admitted to, interference with commerce by robbery, is a federal crime under the Hobbs Act, codified at 18 U.S.C. § 1951, and can carry up to 20 years in prison. Federal sentencing guidelines indicate that penalties typically hinge on the level of violence involved and the defendants’ criminal histories.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office updated its release on July 23, 2026, noting that both men were sentenced that day and that the FBI and the Topeka Police Department handled the investigation. The notice did not include court docket details or information about any restitution order.
