United States of America v. Andrew Franklin

Chicago, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with robbery and kidnapping.

Reported by Kent Morlan

Andrew Franklin, 19, of Chciago, DASHUN BROWN, 24, of Chicago, posed as a food delivery driver to cause an individual in the residence to open the front door. Armed with loaded firearms, Andrew Franklin, Brown, TYRESE FENTON-WATSON, 23, of Chicago, DAVID FRANKLIN, 24, of Chicago, and JALEN CHAMBERS, 24, of Bourbonnais, Ill., forcibly entered the residence. Brown, Fenton-Watson, David Franklin, Chambers, and Andrew Franklin kept an individual in the residence captive for approximately an hour and used firearms to physically restrain the victim, the charges alleged. The perpetrators also restrained a child who arrived home while the violent home invasion was in progress, the charges alleged. The captors allegedly demanded access to a safe, computer, and online accounts holding cryptocurrency.

The conspirators fled the residence after about an hour in the home, later meeting up with ISAIAH DUKES, 28, of Los Angeles, Calif., KHIELL DUKES, 30, of Elgin, Ill., ANTHONY RAMSEY, 22, of Chicago, and additional co-conspirators who were waiting nearby and had been communicating with the captors while they were inside the residence, the charges alleged.

Andrew Franklin’s arrest and the unsealing of the second superseding indictment were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Brian O’Connell, Chief of the Winnetka Police Department. Valuable assistance has been provided by the Chicago Police Department, Northbrook, Ill. Police Department, Glencoe, Ill. Police Department, and Orland Park, Ill. Police Department.

Kidnapping conspiracy is punishable by a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, while robbery conspiracy is punishable by up to 20 years. The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.