Two more men sentenced in violent robbery of Montgomery dry cleaning business

Suspects in the robbery and assault at Jim Massey’s Cleaners./Source: Montgomery Police Department

Two more men have been sentenced in the violent robbery of Montgomery dry cleaning business.

Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson and Special Agent in Charge Sara Jones with the FBI Mobile Field Office announced today that 51-year-old Spirit Hooks was sentenced to 175 months in federal prison, while 68-year-old Spencer Thomas will spend 144 months in federal prison.

58-year-old Zedekiah Sykes, who was said to be the ringleader and organizer, was sentenced in October 2025. He will spend 195 months in federal prison.

According to court records, at around 6PM on March 10, the four men forced their way into the Jim Massey’s location on East South Street in Montgomery by shattering the front door with a rock. Once inside, the men confronted the owner Jim Massey and forced him into an office where a locked safe was located. One of the intruders displayed what appeared to be a handgun, later determined to be a BB gun, and demanded that Massey open the safe.

When Massey struggled to recall the combination, one of the men is accused of hitting him in the left eye, causing visible bruising and swelling. The men are charged with stealing approximately $8,000 in cash from the safe. Before fleeing, they zip-tied Massey’s hands and feet and took his cell phone and car keys, court records state. The men used the stolen keys to drive away in Massey’s vehicle, according to the records. The car was later recovered a few blocks away.

Hooks, Thomas, and Sykes previously pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of Hobbs Act robbery. The three were also ordered to pay $17,624.49 in restitution.

Charges of robbery and carjacking against Thompson remain pending, and his trial is scheduled for May 11, 2026. An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and Thompson is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

There is no parole in the federal system.