Goshen man sentenced to 20 years for armed robbery

GOSHEN — A court has sentenced the fourth of five suspects involved in a robbery last September. Issac Duckworth, 18, received a 20-year prison sentence on Thursday in Elkhart County Circuit Court. He pleaded guilty to two counts of armed robbery. Duckworth was part of a group that lured two victims to an apartment in central Elkhart and robbed them at gunpoint. He was arrested after the incident on September 13, along with four others: Alora Layton, 18, Carrie Layton, 20, E’Marri Redmond, 19, and Kaleb Goodwin, 17. The two sisters and Redmond have already been sentenced to similar prison terms. Goodwin's trial is scheduled for May 19. The judge handed Duckworth consecutive 10-year prison terms. Six years of his sentence were suspended to probation. He accepted the plea agreement on February 20. The robbery victims reported the crime to the police after being approached by armed men wearing masks. During the robbery, one of the suspects threatened the female victim with a knife and hit her with a gun. The victims lost several personal items, including a wallet and a vape pen. Police later arrested the suspects after reviewing security footage and searching their home. Duckworth's attorney said he went along with the robbery reluctantly. Duckworth expressed regret in court and apologized to the victims. He stated he wished he had stayed home instead of participating. Judge Michael Christofeno remarked on the seriousness of the crime. He noted the long-lasting impact on the victims and emphasized that the crime cannot be undone.