Des Moines Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Charges Related to an Armed Robbery

DES MOINES, Iowa - A Des Moines man was sentenced yesterday to 35 years in federal prison following his convictions for attempted interference with commerce by robbery, attempted possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at trial, Sam Sando, 27, planned an armed robbery of a quarter pound of marijuana and recruited an accomplice, Salifou Sahr. On January 9, 2022, Sando lured the victims to an apartment complex for a purported drug deal, intending to rob the victims of marijuana. Sando and Sahr surrounded the victim's car, and each fired three rounds into the car. One victim, Trishay Thompson, was struck and later died.

On August 7, 2024, following a two-day trial, a federal jury found Sando guilty of attempted interference with commerce by robbery, attempted possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute it, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Sando will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

In November 2023, Sahr was convicted of murder in the first degree, two counts of attempted murder, and two counts of robbery in the first degree in the Iowa District Court for Polk County and sentenced to life in prison.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Des Moines Police Department.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.