INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis woman who flashed a badge to an east side convenience store owner and pretended to be an undercover police officer was sentenced to six years in prison for the crimes.
Tyjwania Spradley, 38, was also accused of robbing a store and planning to shake down an owner for even more money. She was arrested after the store owner helped police catch the woman when she came back the very next day.
The incident first went down on Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021, about 5:00 p.m. Security video showed a woman displaying a badge under her jacket to the owner of the JJ Minimart at 10th and Tuxedo streets on the east side of Indianapolis.
Spradley claimed to be a police officer investigating illegal sales, and demanded access behind the counter.
Owners of the JJ Minimart showed 13News the security video back when the incident happened.
J.J. Alshash has operated the convenience store for about 11 years. Alshash showed 13News the security video while narrating what happened.
"Open the door,” he said she ordered. “That's the police. You can't say no to police. I was like 'OK.' I opened it. As soon as she gets in, ‘You're not supposed to do that. You're not supposed to sell that. You’ve got to pay me, for you know, keep my mouth shut,' something like that."
Alshash quickly became suspicious and started recording audio on his phone.
"Listen, all this (expletive) right here is illegal. You're not supposed to be selling none of this. None of it,” the woman is heard yelling in the recording. "Every two weeks I come in here. You keep this (expletive), you pay me. I'll leave you open."
The video clearly shows the woman stealing a gun on the counter while the owner was distracted helping a customer. She also took about $300 in a bucket of coins, cigarettes, and clothing.
"I was freezing,” said Alshash. “I was like freezing at that moment. Freezing what to do, what to say. Police doing that?”
The woman said she would be back within two weeks asking for more. Instead, she came back the very next day around 3:00 p.m., demanding the license for the gun she had taken.
She was wearing the police badge again around her neck. Alshash pretended to call his boss but called 911. He says he was put on hold twice and the woman got nervous and took off before police arrived. But police had her car on video and pulled her over a few blocks away.
Police say she tossed the badge out the car window as she was stopped.
Spradley pleaded guilty to taking property by putting someone in danger while armed, unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, and impersonation of a public servant.