Seven Men Plead Guilty in Phony Lottery Robbery Scheme at PA Rest Stops

On April 18, 2023, multiple motorists reported being robbed at a service plaza in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, after being lured into a scheme involving a fake lottery win.
According to prosecutors, one or two men approached drivers at rest stops claiming a friend had won the lottery and was giving away money that could be doubled. Victims were led behind parked trucks and invited to gamble in card games. Once victims displayed their cash, they were surrounded by additional members of the group, who forcibly took money and jewelry before fleeing in three vehicles.
Four robberies were reported that day in Dauphin County. Over the next two days, additional robberies involving the same suspects were reported at Pennsylvania Turnpike service plazas in Somerset and Westmoreland counties, as well as truck stops along Interstate 70 in Westmoreland and Washington counties.
Authorities said victims were traveling from various states and Canada. While no one was seriously injured, prosecutors described the robberies as forcible. One woman had nine rings removed from her fingers, and another had a chain ripped from her neck. In total, approximately $21,000 and more than a dozen pieces of jewelry were stolen.
Police later identified the suspects’ vehicles traveling west on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Two vehicles were detained at the New Stanton service plaza, and a third was stopped on Route 30 in North Huntingdon. All seven men were arrested and remained jailed for approximately three months before posting bail in July 2023.
On March 3, 2026, 41-year-old John Henry Black, 73-year-old Robert Dennis Murphy, 41-year-old Darrell Marshall Noel III, 41-year-old Adam Rick Smith, 51-year-old Danny Williams, 47-year-old Robert Thomas Chandler, and 57-year-old Wendell A. Compton pleaded guilty in Westmoreland County to five felony counts of robbery.
In exchange for their guilty pleas, prosecutors dismissed 19 additional charges against each defendant, including conspiracy, racketeering, and theft. Originally, eight robberies were charged. Prosecutors stated that property recovered from the defendants would cover restitution owed to the five remaining victims.
Chandler, Black, Noel, and Murphy were sentenced to serve 3 to 23 months in jail but received credit for time served and were immediately paroled. Williams, Compton, and Smith were sentenced to time served to 12 months in jail and were also paroled.
The presiding judge noted that all seven men accepted responsibility for their actions and that restitution would be made to the victims.

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