Indy man sentenced to 19 years for armed robberies via OfferUp, Facebook Marketplace
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A Indianapolis man was sentenced Thursday to 19 years in a federal prison after pleading guilty to two robberies and threatening using a firearm in both crimes, according to a news release the U.S. Department of Justice.
The first robbery happened Aug. 8, 2020, Dujuan Lucas, 22, arranged to meet a woman at Redskin Lane in Indianapolis. She was interested in buying a car that Lucas had listed under a fake name on the OfferUp internet marketplace.
When the woman arrived at the location with her three children the car was not present. Lucas pointed a pistol at the woman’s head, demanded money and told her not to resist. Lucas took $1,000 in cash and ran away.
The second robbery happened Aug. 23, 2020, a potential buyer contacted Lucas on Facebook Marketplace about a listing of an iPhone 11 and several other electronics he had put for sale. The potential buyer arranged a meet with Lucas at an address on Redskin Lane.
The potential buyer arrived to Redskin Lane with four friends to meet Lucas. Lucas asked to see the money first. As the potential buyer showed the money, Lucas grabbed the person from behind and held a gun against the person’s neck and demanded cash from the group.
The buyer gave Lucas money. Lucas then ordered one of the buyer’s friends to exit the car, and demanded and took all their cellphones.
Police on Sept. 6, 2020 searched Lucas’s home on Redskin Lane and found a handgun, two handgun magazines, and other items used during the robberies.
According to court documents, in 2016, Lucas was convicted of armed robbery as a juvenile in Marion County. Lucas was out on bond awaiting trial for narcotic charges at the time he committed the two robberies in 2020.
As part of the sentence, a judge ordered that Lucas be on probation for three years following his release from prison.
