Man sentenced to prison for armed robbery conspiracy

By Allison Scarbrough, News Editor

LUDINGTON — A 32-year-old man was sentenced to a minimum of 80 months (six and two thirds years) to a maximum of 15 years for a conviction of conspiracy to commit armed robbery in Mason County’s 51 Circuit Court Tuesday, Sept. 1.

Hendrickson

Tyler Austin Hendrickson pleaded no contest to conspiracy to commit armed robbery and fourth-offense habitual offender, March 12. He received credit for 376 days served in jail.

Hendrickson conspired with Travis William Malone, 31, to commit the armed robbery, said Mason County Prosecuting Attorney Beth Hand. Malone had also conspired with Rob Roger Smith, 33, to invade a Ludington home.

“Malone and Rob Smith had conspired to break into a house of a mutual friend,” said Prosecutor Hand. “While Malone was with the victim, he let Smith know the house was empty. Smith then breaks into the home and steals various items including a gaming system of the victim’s child. Upon learning this, the victim relays the information to Hendrickson. The victim was in contact with the police. Malone had allegedly already sold the gaming system to a third party. 

“Hendrickson and Malone devise a plan to get the gaming system back by robbing at gunpoint the new owner of the system. The victim relays all of this to the police as well as when the robbery was to occur. The police are in the area ready to intervene and upon information and belief, the suspects see a police car and abort the robbery. Malone and Smith are pulled over shortly thereafter and Malone has a firearm in his

Malone

possession.”

The Sept. 4, 2024 crime was investigated by the Ludington Police Department, according to court records.

Malone pleaded no contest Dec. 5, 2025 to conspiracy to commit armed robbery, second-degree home invasion, conspiracy to commit second-degree home invasion and third-offense habitual offender. He was sentenced to 11-40 years in prison‎, April 21. Malone then received a concurrent sentence, Aug. 10, of 14-40 years in prison for a conviction of delivery/manufacture of methamphetamine. 

Smith was sentenced to five to 40 years in prison, July 1, 2025 after pleading guilty to second-degree home invasion, conspiracy to commit second-degree home invasion and fourth-offense habitual offender. 

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