PORT ARTHUR, Texas — A Port Arthur man was sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to an aggravated robbery that ended with the death of a second suspect.
Desmond Ingram Jr.'s sentencing was announced by Bob Wortham in a Jefferson County District Attorney's Office on Wednesday.
The man investigators said was helping Ingram rob the Church's Chicken located on Jefferson Drive in Port Arthur died after a customer in the drive-thru shot both men.
Related: Accused armed robber of chicken restaurant in Port Arthur indicted, charged with aggravated robbery
The fatal shooting took place on Oct. 1, 2021. Ingram and Ricardo Guient went to the Church’s Chicken with a gun, according to the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office release
RAW VIDEO | Bystander fatally shoots robber from drive-thru window of Texas fast food restaurant (Watch below)
Investigators said Ingram and Guient forced employees to the back of the restaurant while removing cash from the safe.
During the robbery, a man in the drive thru saw what was going on. He got his personal weapon and shot at Ingram and Guient through the window.
Both men were hit, and Guient later died at a hospital. The man who shot at them had a license to carry a concealed handgun.
Port Arthur Police later responded a call about a gunshot victim at an area apartment complex. They found Ingram suffering from a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
Ingram was wearing clothes that matched a description provided of the robbery suspect.
“This violent robbery could have ended much worse,” Prosecutor Luke Nichols said. “Ingram and his accomplice threatened and terrorized the store employees, and we are all grateful none of them were injured. The citizen who intervened likely saved their lives that night. A quick and thorough response by PAPD took another violent offender off the streets of Port Arthur.”
Ingram has several prior felony convictions and was out on supervised release at the time of the robbery.
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From a District Attorney's office release:
Jefferson County Criminal District Attorney Bob Wortham announced today that DESMOND INGRAM, JR., of Port Arthur was sentenced to 30 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Judge Raquel West’s 252nd Criminal District Court.
On October 1, 2021, Desmond Ingram and Ricardo Guient entered the Church’s Chicken restaurant on Jefferson Drive in Port Arthur, Texas with a firearm and began to rob the store. Employees were forced into the back of the business while the men removed cash from the safe.
In the course of this armed robbery, a citizen, a concealed handgun license holder, in the drive through observed what was taking place. He retrieved his personal weapon and fired at the two robbers through the window. Both men were struck. Ricardo Guient died at a local hospital shortly after.
Port Arthur police officers responded shortly after the robbery to a report of a gunshot victim at a local apartment complex. Desmond Ingram was located wearing clothes that matched the robbery suspect’s and had a gunshot wound to his abdomen.
Prosecutor Luke Nichols stated, “This violent robbery could have ended much worse. Ingram and his accomplice threatened and terrorized the store employees and we are all grateful none of them were injured. The citizen who intervened likely saved their lives that night. A quick and thorough response by PAPD took another violent offender off the streets of Port Arthur.”
Following a guilty plea to the Aggravated Robbery charge, Desmond Ingram Jr. was sentenced to 30 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Ingram has several prior felony convictions, and was out on supervised release at the time of the offense for a federal firearms violation.
This case was investigated by the Port Arthur Police Department.
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