Polk County Sheriff’s office detectives arrested three teenagers and charged each with armed robbery, and conspiracy to commit armed robbery, for robbing an Uber driver in Winter Haven on January 14.
The suspects were identified as Felipe Fernandez, Jamion Bibbs and Anthony Velez, all aged 15.
Police said that during the investigation, Polk County detectives spoke with a juvenile probation officer, who told them Fernandez was believed to be involved in robberies over the weekend in Bartow and Winter Haven.
Fernandez was questioned by detectives with the Polk County Sheriff's Office and the Bartow Police Department during which he admitted to the separate robberies being investigated by PCSO and BPD.
Fernandez''s confession led to the identification of Bibbs and Velez as suspects involved in the armed robbery, police said.
According to police, the victim, an Uber driver, was vacuuming his car due to someone having been sick inside of it, around 3:25 a.m. that morning, at Ron's Car Wash on Cypress Gardens Blvd in Winter Haven, when a burgundy Chevy Malibu pulled into the car wash, and two armed suspects got out. One of the suspects held a gun to the victim's head and demanded money, while the other suspect pointed his gun at the victim from a distance and encouraged the first suspect to "blow his brains out," poilce said.
Police said that after robbing the victim of his cash, phone, wallet, and personal belongings, the suspects then fled the scene in their car. The victim followed them from a safe distance and eventually flagged down a passerby to use their phone and call law enforcement. The victim described the two armed suspects as teenagers, one wearing a jacket and a bandana covering his face, with light skin and curly hair, and one wearing a hoodie.
Detectives questioned Bibbs, who told detectives he was with Fernandez and Velez at the Shergill Hotel in Winter Haven (where Bibbs lives with his mother) during the evening hours of Saturday, January 13, 2018. The trio decided to go "driving around" when they saw the victim vacuuming his car. Fernandez drove the car, while Bibbs and Velez committed the armed robbery. The victim's stolen cell phone was found in Bibbs' bedroom.
On Friday afternoon, detectives arrested Velez at George Jenkins High School. Detectives learned Velez was placed on probation on February 4, 2017, for grand theft auto, carrying a concealed firearm, arson, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was additionally charged with delinquent in possession of a concealed firearm.
Police said the three teens all have previous criminal histories.
"These three boys, only 15 years of age, are already committing dangerous and violent crimes. It is our intent that they be charged as adults. We cannot allow the juvenile justice system to give them a slap on the wrist and release them back into society. They've demonstrated that they are committed to a life of violent crime, and the only good thing about this story is that they didn't kill someone," said Sheriff Judd Grady.
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