Chicago Man Sentenced to Ten Years Imprisonment for Armed Robberies

Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on February 19, 2026, Rumeal Campbell, aka “Melo,” (age: 34) was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, by Chief United States District Judge Pamela Pepper.

Publicly filed documents reflect that Campbell and his accomplices committed two armed robberies of businesses, little more than an hour apart, on the evening of January 30, 2022. During one robbery, Campbell fired his weapon into the ceiling, jumped across the checkout counter, and placed his firearm into a clerk’s back, while forcing her to open the cash register. During the other robbery, Campbell held his firearm to another clerk’s head to force him to part with the store’s cash. Campbell and his associates ultimately stole over $23,000 that evening.

The robberies remained unsolved until December of 2022, when law enforcement determined that the same weapon Campbell fired in January was used during a third robbery. Campbell ultimately pled guilty, only days before his scheduled trial, to two counts of Hobbs Act robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951(a), and use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(ii).

When imposing sentence, Chief Judge Pepper emphasized the grievous harm Campbell had caused his victims. Chief Judge Pepper noted that Campbell, in his greed, had changed his victims’ lives forever. The judge reflected that “these sorts of robberies constitute a form of torture,” because the victims do not know if they will ever see their families again, and their mental anguish carries on long after the crime itself has ended. Chief Judge Pepper also noted that two robberies less than an hour apart do not represent a mistake, but rather, a “terrible, terrible choice” by Campbell with the power to destroy lives, including his own.

“The sentence imposed by the Court reflects the gravity of these offenses and the lasting impact on the victims,” said U.S. Attorney Schimel. “Armed robbery is a violent crime that reverberates far beyond the moment it occurs, leaving emotional scars long after the physical scene is cleared. Through strong partnerships with our law enforcement agencies, we will continue to protect the public by aggressively prosecuting those who threaten the safety and security of our communities.”

“Rumeal Campbell and his accomplices terrorized the victims of these robberies and placed innocent lives in danger during his violent crime spree in the Milwaukee area. The FBI is committed to crushing violent crime and holding accountable those who threaten public safety,” said FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Alan Karr. “The FBI will continue working together with our law enforcement partners to ensure justice is served.”

“The West Allis Police Department thanks the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for working in partnership with us to hold a violent criminal accountable,” said West Allis Police Chief Patrick Mitchell.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the West Allis Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Porchia Lewand and Kevin Knight.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.