BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (LEX 18) — A grand jury has indicted 13 people in a multi-state spree of violent robberies that included a 2016 armed robbery in Lexington.
U.S. State’s Attorney Russell M. Coleman’s office announced Wednesday that more than a dozen people aer facing charges they took part in 15 robberies of businesses in Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee and North Carolina. Officials said the group targeted Hispanic-owned businesses.
Lexington police noted one of the cases being tied to the alleged criminal gang includes the Dec. 23, 2016, robbery of Beat the Clock Tax Service in Lexington in which armed robbers stole approximately $67,000 in cash.
Those charged in the indictment were: 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; and Jamie Cedillo-Sales, 23. All the defendants are from Nashville, except for Cedillo-Sales, who is from Snow Hill, N.C.
“These defendants are off the street because of outstanding work by the FBI and the Bowling Green Police Department,” Coleman said in a statement. “Our families and our commonwealth are well-served by both.”
Three of the suspects also are charged in the fatal shooting of a Bowling Green resident.
