Seven indicted on federal armed robbery charges

Seven men have been indicted on federal armed robbery charges stemming from a string of heists at six mobile phone stores in two states, including two suburban stores last year.

The men are accused of having a hand in some or all of the robberies, including the Jan. 31, 2013, robbery of a Sprint Store in Addison and a Dec. 14, 2013, holdup of a T-Mobile shop in Woodridge. The other robberies occurred in Indiana or downstate Illinois.

The seven men charged are Eric Rogers, 39, of Hazel Crest; Eric Curtis, 29, of Park Forest; Marcus Harris, 20, of Chicago; Daniel Wright, 28, of Chicago; Andre Wadlington-Anthony, 27, of Harvey; Tony Johnson, 20, of Harvey; and Lavell Hughes, 41, of Gary, Ind.

Each man faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted and a $250,000 maximum fine.

Prosecutors accuse Rogers and Curtis of plotting the heists and then hiring others to help carry them out as well as furnishing the other men with firearms.

In one robbery, more than 100 phones and tablet computers valued at about $54,000 were stolen, prosecutors said.