Willie James Attaway, Murder, Armed Robberies, Ohio 2021
CINCINNATI, Ohio - Two Cincinnati men were sentenced to decades in prison for their roles in the murder of the owner of Madeira Beverage in February 2021 and multiple armed robberies.
Willie James Attaway, 33, was sentenced to 40 years in prison for murdering Roop C. Gupta and committing or attempting four other armed robberies on February 8 and 9, 2021.
During the two-day crime spree, Attaway brandished a firearm to rob or attempt to rob several gas stations and convenience stores, including:
- February 8: Shell on S. Mason Montgomery Road in Deerfield Township
- February 8: Shell on Dixie Highway in Hamilton, Ohio
- February 9: Madeira Beverage on Kenwood Road in Madeira, Ohio
- February 9: Sunoco on Kenwood Road in Blue Ash, Ohio
- February 9: Marathon on North Broadway in Lebanon, Ohio
At the first robbery, Attaway brandished a firearm at the two clerks and demanded that they empty the cash registers, which they did. Later that night, at a second Shell gas station, Attaway brandished a firearm and said he was not afraid to shoot the clerk. The clerk gave Attaway money from the cash register.
The next day, February 9, 2021, Attaway entered Madeira Beverage and confronted the store's owner, Roop Gupta, who was working behind the counter. Attaway pointed a firearm at Gupta, and during the ensuing struggle he shot Gupta one time in the left abdomen. Gupta was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Lamond Johnson, 38, who served as Attaway's driver during the robberies, was sentenced to 23 years in prison for his role in the crimes. Johnson previously pleaded guilty to three counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence and two counts of attempted robbery.
The investigation was jointly conducted by the ATF and the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Madeira Police Department, the Warren County Sheriff's Office, the Cincinnati, Lebanon, Blue Ash and Hamilton police departments, and the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office.
The defendants will serve their sentences in federal prison. Attaway was sentenced to 40 years in prison, and Johnson was sentenced to 23 years in prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Julie D. Garcia and Kyle J. Healey. Senior U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott imposed the sentences.
Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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