| By CHRIS MENEES
Staff Reporter
The case of another teenage suspect charged in the February robbery of a Union City Mexican grocery store has been transferred from juvenile court to adult court.
Lemarcus Coble, 18, of 1539 East Main St., Union City, is one of three teenage suspects arrested recently in connection with the Feb. 26 robbery of La Michoacana Mexican Grocery at 1207 East Main St. in Union City.
Coble appeared in juvenile court last week to determine if his case would be transferred to adult court and it was transferred, authorities told The Messenger Friday afternoon.
Also charged in the incident are Caleb Adams, 19, of 511 Nash St., Apt. 39, Union City; and a 17-year-old juvenile whose name has not yet been disclosed by authorities. The 17-year-old’s case was also transferred to adult court during a March 15 hearing in juvenile court.
Each of the teens has been charged with aggravated robbery, according to Union City police.
After their arrests, the 17-year-old juvenile was sent to state custody, while Coble was held at the Obion County Law Enforcement Complex due to having turned 18 years old Feb. 27. The robbery the night of Feb. 26 was allegedly committed just three hours and 40 minutes before his 18th birthday arrived, Union City police investigator Derrick O’Dell said.
Adams and the 17-year-old suspect were both arrested Feb. 28, while a warrant was issued for Coble’s arrest and he surrendered himself March 1 at the Union City Police Department.
The charges against the three teenagers stem from a robbery which occurred about 8:20 p.m. Feb. 26 when three men — one armed with a pistol — entered the store and took an undetermined amount of cash, according to a Union City Police Department report.
Descriptions of three suspects and photos of two of them were published in The Messenger as police sought the community’s help in identifying them. The suspects’ photos taken from store video surveillance showed three black males wearing hooded sweatshirts and masks, with one of them carrying what appeared to be a small revolver. One suspect was initially wearing a mask, but he removed it and his face was seen on store video.
While in the store, the intruder with the gun allegedly ordered a female clerk to stay put while a second suspect went behind the counter. After obtaining the money from a cash box, the suspect pushed the female clerk down as he made his way from behind the counter to flee the store, according to police.
The third suspect was also in front of the counter with the first suspect while the second suspect went behind the counter, police reported.
La Michoacana Mexican Grocery was robbed three times over a four-month period, with the late February holdup being the third and most recent incident, and was also the site of a foiled robbery attempt in February.
Four suspects were also arrested in early April and charged in connection with the earlier robberies at La Michoacana — in October 2012 and December 2012.
Adams is also charged in the first robbery on Oct. 24, 2012, as are Eldarrius Boykin, 21, of 529 Nash St., Apt. 90, Union City; and Shanthony Mays, 19, of 713 Melrose St., Apt. 22, Union City. Each is charged with aggravated robbery and theft over $1,000, according to O’Dell.
Charged as a result of the second robbery on Dec. 19, 2012, is Dominique Harper, 21, of 218 Railroad St., Clinton, Ky. O’Dell said he was arrested on charges of aggravated robbery and unlawful possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.
Boykin, Mays and Harper were all recently bound over to the grand jury in their respective cases, while Adams’ cases were continued to May 9 in Obion County General Sessions Court, according to police.
Staff Reporter Chris Menees may be contacted by email at cmenees@ucmessenger.com. Published in The Messenger 4.29.13 |
