Seven men have pleaded guilty to a series of robberies targeting motorists at rest stops along the Pennsylvania Turnpike, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office.
Attorney General Dave Sunday announced that John Black, Wendell Compton, Robert Murphy, Darrell Noel, Robert Chandler, Adam Smith, and Danny Williams each pleaded guilty to five counts of third-degree felony robbery. The pleas came the same week the men were set to go to trial.
The group carried out what investigators described as "distraction-style" robberies at rest stops on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and other highways in Dauphin, Somerset, and Westmoreland counties in April 2023. Their targets included truckers and other motorists traveling through the area. As reported by CBS 21, thousands of dollars in cash, jewelry, and other belongings were taken during the crimes.
No weapons were used, and no one was injured in the robberies.
Attorney General Sunday credited law enforcement partners with bringing the case to resolution. "This group conspired in a series of brazen robberies that endangered motorists targeted at random," Sunday said. "The fine investigative work from our partners with the state police led to these appropriate plea resolutions."
WPXI previously reported on the string of incidents that alarmed travelers along the turnpike. Each of the seven men was sentenced to at least three months in prison, followed by a period of parole supervision.