Gop3.com: The Triumvirate » Blog Archive » Another Robbery Thursday Night (Non-students this time, whew!); Plus, Criminal Complaint Against One Mark Devon Nellum issued: 3 counts of armed robbery, 2 counts of “false imprisonment”

Another Robbery Thursday Night (Non-students this time, whew!); Plus, Criminal Complaint Against One Mark Devon Nellum issued: 3 counts of armed robbery, 2 counts of “false imprisonment”

Written by Brian on March 8, 2008 – 12:05 pm -

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The Journal Sentinel has a story up on a kidnapping involving a non-Marquette student that occured at 14th and State on Thursday night:

A separate investigation continues into two other robberies that involved Marquette University students early Wednesday. A 47-year-old man also was robbed the same night, and police are looking for a single robber in those three cases. Investigators did not believe the latest robberies were connected to last weekend’s crimes.

On Thursday night, a woman’s purse was snatched near campus. But Milwaukee police assigned to robbery suppression in the Marquette area quickly arrested a 53-year-old man who had been chased by residents after the robbery, according to Capt. James Harpole.

Police do not believe the man is tied to any of the other recent robberies around the university. Officers James McNichol and Misty Torres had been patrolling the area when they found the suspect hiding under bushes. He remained in police custody on Friday.

Harpole said a 63-year-old woman had exited a bus about 6:35 p.m. in the 1400 block of W. Highland Ave. and was heading home when the robber grabbed her purse and shoved her to the ground. Bystanders chased the suspect to the 900 block of N. 14th St., where officers arrested him.

The story also states that a criminal complaint has been issued against the one suspect that the police have apprehended thusfar, “Mark Devon Nellum”:

A Milwaukee man and an accomplice stole a newspaper carrier’s van before driving around the Marquette University area last weekend and robbing three students at gunpoint, kidnapping two of them and forcing them to withdraw money from an ATM, according to a criminal complaint filed Friday.

Mark Devon Nellum, 19, is charged with three counts of being party to a crime of armed robbery, threat of force; two counts of being party to a crime of false imprisonment while armed; operating a vehicle without owner’s consent; fleeing police; and possession of a firearm by a felon. If convicted on all counts, he faces up to 153 years in prison and $365,000 in fines.

Nellum was being held in Milwaukee County Jail, with bail set at $100,000. Police are looking for the second assailant. [E/A]

I’m very, very happy that the Journal Sentinel’s Linda Spice has decided to describe the crimes as they were - kidnappings. The only reason I can see that the Milwaukee Police Department would choose to charge Nellum with “false imprisonment” might be some kind of agreement with the defendent or perhaps worries about a conviction on kidnapping.

One part of the criminal complaint that jumps out is the statement from one of the victims that

“The two were then driven around for a while and at one point he was told by the man with the gun to walk behind a house and wait there. [Blackened] indicated that the man with the gun said, “Wait for your friend; that is if we don’t kill him first!” [Blackened] then walked to the back of the house and while in the back yard waited there for a period of time. While waiting in the back yard, [blackened] indicated that it started to get light and he began to get cold. [Blackened] began to zigzag his way soutbound through the yards concealing himself whenever a car approached [...].”

This is, of course, exactly what GOP3 reported first (and apparently exclusively until the release of this criminal complaint) 24 hours or so after DPS published a Safety Alert.

You can download and read the MPD criminal complaint here.

Nellum’s crimes are worsened by the fact the he already was a felon.

This complaint is further based on the review of Milwaukee County Case #2004JV001249 in which the above-named defendant was found delinquent of the felony offense of Armed Robbery, As a Party To a Crime, in violation of Wisconsin Statutes Section 943.32(2) and 939.05 on October 18, 2004. On November 8, 2004, the above-named defendant was advised of the fact that he could no longer posses a firearm pursuant to Wisconsin Statute.

If you want a taste of the ungodly nightmare these two young men faced 8 days ago, read the entire report.

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