Fifth suspect in armed robbery scheme sentenced
Kaleb Goodwin, 18, received a total sentence of 20 years, with six years suspended, after pleading guilty to two counts of armed robbery. He was sentenced Thursday in Elkhart County Circuit Court after entering a plea agreement in April.
Goodwin was charged with the Level 3 felony along with Issac Duckworth, 18, Alora Layton, 18, Carrie Layton, 20, and E'Marri Redmond, 19. All have been sentenced on plea agreements after this week's hearing.
The five suspects were arrested after a man and a woman came to the Elkhart Police Department to report that they had just been robbed. They said they came to Carrie Layton's apartment and were approached by armed men wearing masks, who struck them and took some personal belongings.
'Armed robbery is a very, very serious crime, it's a very personal crime,' Judge Michael Christofeno told Goodwin. 'In particular, your two victims were traumatized. This went way beyond you placing them in fear.'
The victims said the masked men opened the doors to their vehicle and one of them put a knife to the woman's knee before moving it up to her ribs. He also struck the woman three times with the extended magazine that was in his pistol, according to police.
The woman said the robbers took her knife and possibly something from the center console, while the man said they took a vape pen and a wallet that contained cash, a bank card and Social Security cards belonging to him and his son.
The woman suffered headaches, trouble sleeping and possibly seizures as a result of her head injury, according to Elkhart County Deputy Prosecutor Kathleen Claeys. She said she believed Goodwin was remorseful and noted that he and his codefendants were very forthcoming when speaking with law enforcement about the crime.
Police arrested the five suspects after viewing security footage from River Run Apartments and searching the residence where Carrie Layton and her mother lived. Police questioned the five suspects and learned that they came up with the robbery plot together while sitting in Carrie Layton's bedroom.
'This is your first felony conviction, but as I told your codefendants, you picked a whopper of a first felony,' Christofeno said. 'The only way this could have gone worse is if somebody pulled the trigger, and one of your victims or your codefendants ended up being shot.'
Goodwin's attorney, Michael Banik, told the court he had made good use of his time while being held in the juvenile detention facility in Logansport. He said Goodwin sought substance abuse treatment and earned a high school diploma and a welding certificate.
Goodwin told the judge he wants to continue his treatment and improve himself.
'Wherever I end up going, I want to make myself a better man,' he said.
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