Friday, December 6, 2019

Beech Grove man sentenced for armed robbery

Beech Grove, IN (December 6, 2019) — A Beech Grove man will spend about 22 years in prison after he robbed a man of marijuana and cash and hit a woman with a gun at a Greenwood apartment.

Brandon Saloane, 27, was convicted in a jury trial in October of two Level 3 felonies of armed robbery and robbery, a Level 4 felony of unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon and a Level 6 felony of battery with moderate bodily injury. The charges stem from a drug deal gone wrong on July 4.


Circuit Court Judge Andrew Roesener sentenced Saloane to 13 years each for the robbery charges and nine years for the unlawful possession of a firearm charge. Roesener vacated the Level 6 felony. The 13 years for the robbery charges will be served concurrently.

He was also sentenced to 45 days in jail for a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge. He was given time served in that incident. Saloane has 154 days of jail credit.

In July, Saloane arrived and paid the resident of a Greenwood apartment cash, and was given marijuana in return. Saloane used the restroom, then shoved a gun into the resident’s side and attempted to rob him.

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A woman who had been sleeping at the apartment told the jury she got up and Saloane smacked her in the face with a gun. A bullet was fired, but it is unclear if it grazed the woman. The woman received facial stitches for her injury, according to court documents.

Saloane represented himself during the jury trial and sentencing and made a statement before his hearing. He told the judge he believed the jury was biased against him on the serious violent offender charge. Roesener told Saloane that his claim would fall under an appeal, which was not being considered in the Thursday sentencing hearing.

Saloane asked for leniency and said that his life was perfect leading up to the crime. He asked for mercy in his sentencing, and said his sentence would be better served on work release and home detention. He also said he was not remorseful and that he did not know he was committing a crime.

"I can’t have remorse for a drug deal when he shorted me on a drug I tried to buy," Saloane said.

A relative of Saloane testified on his behalf and said Saloane had prior trauma and was a good student while he was in school, but he lacked parental guidance. The victims of the crime declined to testify in the hearing.

Deputy Prosecutor Daylon Welliver requested a 24-year sentence and argued Saloane committed violent crimes without regard to the public’s safety, and continued to blame others for the crimes.

"(Saloane) blames other people, which the jury rejected," Welliver said. "He continues to not accept responsibility for committing a very dangerous crime that endangered the public."

Saloane has an extensive criminal history, including juvenile and violent crimes and was not remorseful, which was considered in his sentencing. A factor that could have lessened the sentence was argued, but Roesener gave it little weight, the judge said.

SOURCE: Daily Journal
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