On 12/15/20, U.S. District Court Judge Theresa L. Springmann sentenced 30-year-old Darren S. Bell to 39 months in prison. Bell pleaded guilty in February to talking part in an armed robbery on 1/25/19. Bell forfeited his right to a jury trial in return for a promise from the U.S. attorney to recommend Bell receive less than the maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
On the date of the robbery, 41-year-old Altonio D. Benson of Detroit and a third accomplice entered a jewelry store at approximately 7:00 p.m. They then smashed open display cases with sledgehammers and ran away with more than $1 million worth of jewelry. Hobart police responded to the robbery and took Bell and Benson into custody. Police recovered more than $500,000 of stolen jewelry.