INDIANAPOLIS – An Indianapolis man committed three armed robberies and was sentenced Wednesday to more than 25 years in federal prison.
Irving Gomez, also known as John Mendez-Rodriquez, 29, of Indianapolis, committed several robberies in 2021. One of which was at a business where he used to be employed.
Court documents say on January 24, 2021, Gomez entered an O’Reilly’s Auto Parts store in Indianapolis with a loaded rifle that he used to threaten employees and demand money from the store’s safe and registers. After he got the money, Gomez fled the business. Employees at the store say they recognized the robber as Irving Gomez, a former employee.
Gomez robbed again on February 6, 2021, this time at a CVS in Indianapolis. Once again, he used a loaded rifle to threaten employees while demanding money from the cash registers. Gomez used the muzzle of his rifle to hit one employee who didn’t immediately comply with his demands. He left the store after getting the money.
On March 1, 2021, Gomez went back to the same O’Reilly’s Auto Parts store that he robbed in January. Court documents reveal that he was also wearing the same clothes he wore on January 24.
Sticking to the same pattern, Gomez was still wielding a loaded rifle, but an employee grabbed the gun and used it to pin Gomez against a nearby wall. In response, Gomez grabbed a metal rod from the wall and used it to hit the employee in the head multiple times. He also pulled out a pocketknife and tried to stab the employee. However, court documents say the employee was able to disarm him.
Officers eventually arrived on scene and were able to take Gomez into custody. He plead guilty to committing three commercial robberies and brandishing a firearm during those crimes of violence.
