Four men accused of roles in three robberies

Cape Girardeau police arrested four men in connection with three robberies Sunday and Monday.

Damian Gage Sides, 18, of Cape Girardeau was charged with first-degree robbery for his alleged role in incidents from Thursday and Monday.

Two male victims, age 19 and 18, were parked in a vehicle about 8 p.m. Thursday near 921 William St., according to a probable-cause statement filed by Cape Girardeau police officer Brian Eggers.

They said Sides approached the vehicle’s passenger window and pointed a gun at the men and demanded they give him money, Eggers wrote.

When the men refused, Sides loaded a magazine into his gun, chambered a round and said he would shoot one of them in the head if they did not give him money, according to the statement. Sides took about $70 from the victims and entered an apartment complex at 921 William St. The victims identified Sides from a photo lineup, Eggers wrote.

Sides was charged with two counts each of first-degree robbery and armed criminal action but was not arrested until he was implicated in a robbery Monday.

A 27-year-old man planned to visit a woman about 6:30 a.m. Monday at 921 William St. when Sides and Darius Latrelle Criddle, 18, of Cape Girardeau, whom he later identified through photographs, met him at the apartment entrance, according to a probable-cause statement filed by Eggers.

Sides or Criddle pulled a gun on the victim and demanded he give them everything or he was going to put a hole in his head, Eggers wrote. They led the victim back to his car and stole a cellphone, $3,000 and his shoes, according to the statement.

The victim told Eggers he was visiting a woman who lived at the complex, according to the statement. Eggers suspected Sides might be involved because of the manner and location of the robbery.

Officers went to the woman’s apartment and found Criddle and Sides in different bedrooms, Eggers wrote. A loaded gun matching the description provided by victims was found in Sides’ room with a wad of bills between the mattress and the wall. The shoes, cellphone and $2,941 were found in both bedrooms, Eggers wrote.

While talking to Eggers and a detective, Sides confessed to both robberies and similar robberies in which he would lure a victim to an address, according to the statement.

Cape Girardeau public information officer Adam Glueck said the department is investigating Sides’ claims on other robberies but cannot release details of those robberies.

Criddle denied involvement in the robbery, saying someone must have put the victim’s shoes and cellphone in his room as he was sleeping, Eggers wrote.

Sides and Criddle were charged with first-degree robbery and armed criminal action. Their bonds were set at $100,000 cash or surety.

Meanwhile, Felawn Smith, 17, and Adriano Armanda Amura Grim, 17, both of Cape Girardeau, were arrested and charged with first-degree robbery and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance after an incident Sunday.

Two robbery victims were talking to police officers at their residence when Smith and Grim drove by in the same vehicle they used during the robbery, according to a probable-cause statement filed by Cape Girardeau police officer James Goins.

Officers arrested Smith and Grim after pulling over their Chevrolet Trailblazer in the 600 block of Boxwood Drive.

The two male victims went to Wal-Mart on William Street when a blue Trailblazer pulled beside their vehicle about 9:30 p.m. Sunday, according to Goins’ statement. They said Smith exited the Trailblazer, held up a black handgun and pulled the slide back, Goins wrote. Smith demanded one of the victims empty his wallet; the victim handed over $50, according to the statement. Smith got back in the vehicle, and the suspects drove away, Goins wrote.

The victims identified Smith as the person holding the gun and Grim as the driver after police stopped Smith and Grim on Boxwood Drive, Goins wrote.

Officers found a bag in the car that contained a Daisy BB gun, a loaded Hi-Point 9mm handgun and 14 grams of marijuana, according to the statement.

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address:

921 William St, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

600 block of Boxwood Drive, Cape Girardeau, Mo.