DES MOINES, IA – On June 19, 2017, Luke Martin, Jr., age 57, of Des Moines, Iowa, appeared before Chief United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey and was sentenced 151 months in prison for drug charges related to a string of armed robberies in 2016 of Git-N-Go, Kum & Go, Hy-Vee, and U.S. Bank, announced United States Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel. Martin pleaded guilty in January of 2017, to conspiracy to distribute hydromorphone (Dilaudid). Martin was sentenced to three years of supervised release following his imprisonment.

Martin distributed hydromorphone to co-defendant Alexander Hamilton, who distributed it to Sarah Coe, Shelly Avery, and Chris Avery. Dilaudid use was a contributing factor to the commission of 17 robberies in March and April of 2016. Sentencings of co-defendants Alexander Hamilton, Sarah Coe, Shelly Avery, and Chris Avery are pending.

The investigation was conducted by the Des Moines Police Department, Ames Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.