Yellowhammer Times

A second individual has entered a guilty plea and two others have been charged in connection with the March 10, 2025, robbery of a dry cleaning business in Montgomery, Alabama, according to an announcement from Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson.

Spencer Thomas, 67, of Prattville, Alabama, pleaded guilty on September 10 to one count of Hobbs Act robbery. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Zedekiah Sykes, 58, of Montgomery, previously pleaded guilty to the same charge. Sentencing dates for both men are pending.

Two additional suspects, Spirit Hooks (51) and Clinton Thompson (55), both from Birmingham, have now been charged as alleged accomplices in the case. Authorities emphasize that indictments or criminal complaints are formal accusations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Court documents state that on March 10, Sykes, Thomas, Hooks, and Thompson allegedly broke into the East South Street business by smashing the front door with a rock. Once inside, they confronted the owner and forced him into an office where there was a locked safe. One member of the group displayed what appeared to be a handgun—later identified as a BB gun—and demanded access to the safe.

The owner struggled to recall the combination and was struck in the left eye by one of the intruders, resulting in visible injuries. The suspects accessed the safe and took approximately $8,000 in cash. They also zip-tied the victim’s hands and feet before stealing his cell phone and car keys. The assailants then left using his vehicle.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Montgomery Police Department, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), and Metro Area Crime Suppression Task Force conducted the investigation with support from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Paul Markovits is prosecuting.

This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America—a national initiative using Department of Justice resources to combat illegal immigration and transnational crime while supporting community safety through coordinated law enforcement efforts such as OCDETFs and Project Safe Neighborhood.