MILWAUKEE, WI – Devin Jefferson, a 30-year-old from Indianapolis, Indiana, will spend the next 130 months behind bars after being sentenced yesterday for a string of brazen armed robberies targeting Walgreens pharmacies across eastern Wisconsin. Judge Pamela Pepper delivered the sentence, slamming Jefferson for his cold-blooded actions and the terror inflicted on pharmacy staff.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, led by Matthew D. Krueger, detailed how Jefferson and his crew descended on Milwaukee in May 2017, immediately launching a three-day crime spree. Jefferson pled guilty to the armed robberies of two Milwaukee Walgreens locations on March 8th and 10th, 2017, and another in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, also on March 10th. The goal? A massive haul of prescription opioids – Oxycodone and Percocets – intended for resale on the street, turning stolen medication into cold, hard cash.
The robberies weren’t quick grab-and-runs. Judge Pepper, visibly shaken after reviewing surveillance footage, described one incident as “cold blooded,” revealing that a pharmacy employee was held at gunpoint for a full six minutes. The sheer callousness of Jefferson’s actions weighed heavily on the sentencing. The crew didn’t just want pills, they were willing to use force and intimidation to get them.
“No one who works in or visits a pharmacy should have to face a loaded gun,” stated U.S. Attorney Krueger. “These robberies highlight how the demand for prescription opioids in street markets drives violent crime; the defendant aimed to resell the pills he and his co-actors stole at gunpoint for a substantial profit.” Krueger emphasized the office’s commitment to tackling both violent crime and the opioid epidemic, a deadly combination fueling misery across the nation.
Federal prosecutors leveraged the Hobbs Act – a 1946 law granting jurisdiction over interstate commerce robberies – to secure the conviction and lengthy sentence. The case was a true collaborative effort, involving the Milwaukee Area Violent Crime Task Force, the FBI (Milwaukee and Indianapolis divisions), the Milwaukee and Menomonee Falls Police Departments, and District Attorney’s offices from both Milwaukee and Waukesha counties. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura S. Kwaterski and Benjamin Wesson led the prosecution.
Jefferson’s 10-year, 10-month sentence sends a clear message: armed robbery, particularly when fueled by the opioid trade, will be met with the full force of the law. While this conviction closes one chapter, the Grimy Times will continue to track the fallout and the ongoing battle against the forces driving violent crime in the Midwest.
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Key Facts
- State: Wisconsin
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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