Montgomery, Ala. – Zedekiah Sykes, 58, of Montgomery, has pleaded guilty in federal court for his role in the brazen March 10, 2025, robbery of a local dry cleaner business. The act, which sent shockwaves through the city, saw Sykes and three accomplices violently forcing entry into the establishment on East South Street.
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According to court records, the group shattered the front door with a rock and confronted the owner, demanding access to a locked safe. One of the thieves brandished what appeared to be a handgun—a BB gun, as it turned out—and struck the owner in the eye when he failed to provide the combination promptly.
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The gang made off with approximately $8,000 in cash and further humiliated their victim by zip-tying his hands and feet before fleeing in his car. Sykes’s guilty plea was entered on July 3, 2025, for one count of Hobbs Act Robbery, which carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years.
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In an unrelated development, Spencer Thomas, 57, of Prattville, Alabama, has been arrested and indicted for his involvement in the same heist. The charges against Thomas remain pending, with both defendants facing a life-altering legal battle.
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This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Montgomery Police Department, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), and the Metro Area Crime Suppression Task Force, working hand-in-hand with the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Paul Markovits is prosecuting this case.
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The incident is part of Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative aimed at dismantling transnational criminal organizations and protecting communities from violent crime. The coordinated efforts of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) have been instrumental in this investigation.
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Key Facts
- State: Alabama
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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