Elkhart Man Convicted Following 4-Day Jury Trial

SOUTH BEND – Rex Hammond, age 54, of Elkhart, Indiana was convicted on 5 counts of Hobbs Act Robbery, 2 counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and 1 count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.

U.S. District Court Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr, presided over this 4-day trial.

According to evidence presented at trial, from October 6 through October 27, 2017, Mr. Hammond conducted a series of robberies of gas stations and a liquor store located in Logansport, Peru, Auburn, Decatur and Logansport, Indiana, each while brandishing a firearm.  Prior to the armed robberies involved in this federal trial, Mr. Hammond had other felony armed robbery convictions.

Sentencing of Mr. Hammond has been set for July 15, 2019.

The case was investigated ATF; FBI; Indiana State Police; Logansport Police Department; Peru Police Department; Auburn Police Department; Portage, Michigan Department of Public Safety; Kalamazoo, Michigan Department of Public Safety; Decatur Police Department; and Marshall County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistance to the case was provided by the following agencies: Cass County Prosecutor’s Office; Miami County Prosecutor’s Office; DeKalb County Prosecutor’s Office; Adams County Prosecutor’s Office; and Marshall County Prosecutor’s Office.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Molly E. Donnelly and Luke N. Reilander.