U.S. Department of Justice

Terrence Berg
United States Attorney
Eastern District of Michigan

Suite 2001
211 West Fort Street
Detroit, Michigan 48226-3277

EVENT: Guilty Plea
Defendant: Jawan Martin

REMAINING “AK-47 BANDIT” PLEADS GUILTY AFTER TWO DAYS OF TRIAL TO AGREEMENT PROVIDING FOR 32 YEARS IN PRISON

A bank robber who held a gun to a teller’s head in the course of committing nine bank robberies pleaded guilty after two days of trial and agreed to serve a mandatory minimum sentence of 32 years’ imprisonment, Acting United States Attorney Terrence Berg announced today. Berg was joined in the announcement by Andrew G. Arena, Special Agent-In-Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Detroit field office.

Jawan Martin, 28, of Detroit pleaded guilty to two counts of using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence. As part of his plea, Martin admitted to robbing the following nine banks:

• March 16, 2006 -- Chase Bank, 32203 Plymouth Rd., Livonia, stealing $157,728;
• January 2, 2007 -- LaSalle Bank, 24660 Southfield Rd., Southfield, stealing $116,170;
• March 16, 2007 -- Chase Bank, W. Warren Ave., Dearborn Heights, stealing $117,818;
• June 2, 2006 – Fifth Third Bank, 700 S. Ballenger Hwy., Flint, stealing $71,000;
• August 4, 2006 – Citizens Bank, 3267 Beecher Road, Flint, stealing $50,466;
• July 11, 2007 – Franklin Bank, 26336 W. 12 Mile Rd., Southfield, Michigan, stealing $0;
• August 7, 2007 – National City Bank, located at 625 E. Manhattan Blvd., Toledo, Ohio, stealing $77,048;
• October 11, 2007 -- Fifth Third Bank, 3754 Rochester Rd., Troy, stealing $41,642;
• November 14, 2007 – Chase Bank, 33051 Schoenherr, Sterling Heights, stealing $1,600.

During each robbery, Martin was armed with an AK-47-style assault rifle or a handgun. During the Fifth Third Bank robbery in Flint, surveillance video showed Martin putting a handgun to a teller’s head. During the November 14, 2007 Sterling Heights robbery, a bank teller was shot in the leg by Martin’s co-defendant, Andre Jones. In total, Martin and his crew took more than $760,000 over a period of approximately two years. All four other defendants in the case had previously pleaded guilty. Jones, the gang’s leader, pleaded guilty to twenty-one counts requiring imposition of a mandatory minimum sentence of 215 years. Terez Deon Rivers, 33, faces 10 years imprisonment, and Frederick Samuel Humes, Jr., 29, faces 15 years for each serving as getaway drivers for Jones and Martin. Sparkle Eldridge, 23, faces up to 5 years imprisonment for driving for one of the robberies. “Combating violent organized crime is one of this office’s highest priorities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Berg. “It is our hope that the sentences to be handed down against these defendant will deter similar violence in the future.”

“The nearly 300 years to be served by these armed criminals is a testament to the work of FBI agents throughout this state and elsewhere, as well as to our state and local law enforcement partners,” stated SAC Arena.