Thirteen people indicted following violent robberies, including one in Lexington
Thirteen people have been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection to violent robberies of 15 commercial businesses, including one in Lexington.
On Dec. 23, 2016, three Hispanic men entered Beat the Clock Tax Service on Versailles Road in Lexington, according to Lexington police. One of them produced a gun, and both victims inside the business were bound and robbed. The suspects took $67,000 in cash from the victims and fled in a Ford Explorer, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Those three suspects were among the 13 people who were charged with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, the U.S. Attorney’s office announced Wednesday. The suspects primarily targeted Hispanic-owned convenience stores and markets in North Carolina, Tennessee, Indiana and Kentucky.
Five of the defendants were previously charged in a shooting death at a Bowling Green, Ky., store, the attorney’s office said.
On March 17, 2017, Johnny Alexander Relles-Martinez and José Adan Mejia Varela entered La Placita Market in Bowling Green, locked the door behind them and demanded money from the store employees.
While the robbery was being committed, José Cruz, 31, went to the store to pick up his children from his ex-wife, who worked at the store, according to the Bowling Green Daily News. The children were locked inside, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.
“When Varela unlocked the door to walk toward a waiting car, Cruz entered the store, realized that a second gunman, Martinez, was robbing the store and began fighting him. Varela returned to the store and attempted to pistol-whip Mr. Cruz,” according to the U.S. attorney’s office.
Martinez shot Cruz during the fight, and Cruz’s children saw the shooting, which was confirmed via video, 911 audio and witnesses, according to the U.S. attorney’s office. Cruz died at a local hospital.
Jorge Santos Caballero-Melgar is accused of being the lookout during the robbery. Two women, Lillian Duron and Estrellita Soto, were also charged in the case.
Caballero-Melgar, Reyes-Martinez, and Varela were all indicted on murder.
“These defendants are off the street because of outstanding work by the FBI and the Bowling Green Police Department,” stated U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman.
The robberies the group is accused of committing included La Despensa in Clarksville, Ind., where $7,000 in cash was taken; Lasly Jewelry and Perfume in Nashville, where $200,000 in cash and jewelry were taken; and La Regia in Rocky Mount, N.C., where about $25,000 in cash was stolen, the attorney’s office said.
The defendants are
- Jorge Santos Caballero-Melgar, 34
- Jonny Alexander Reyes-Martinez, 29
- Jose Adan Mejia Varela, 31
- Lillian Yamileth Duron, 24
- Estrellita Soto, 35
- Elmer Manuel Ordonez Sanchez, 25
- Elvin Fernando Lopez Sanchez, 26
- Javier Alexis Mejia Varela, 27
- Brandon Michael Maldonado-Caro, 25
- Alex Antonio Maldonado-Rodriguez, 34
- Junior Esteban Bueso, 39
- Jose Javier Cedillo-Sales, 28
- Jamie Cedillo-Sales, 23
All were from Nashville except Cedillo-Sales who is from Snow Hill, N.C.
Eleven of the defendants (Caballero-Melgar, Reyes-Martinez, Jose Varela, Elmer Sanchez, Elvin Sanchez, Javier Varela, Maldonado-Caro, Maldonado-Rodriguez, Bueso, Jose Cedillo-Sales, Jaime Cedillo-Sales) were charged with carrying or possessing a firearm during a violent crime. Caballero-Melgar also faces an additional charge of illegal entry after deportation; Reyes-Martinez and Jose Varela are also charged with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.
This story was originally published March 6, 2019 at 12:11 PM.