Following a series of legal proceedings that took place earlier this week, four young men have been charged in connection with an armed robbery that occurred in Jennings. As detailed by the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office on Tuesday, two suspects, 20-year-old Cederick Boyd of Boswell Avenue and 19-year-old Bryant-Michael Chatmon of Elmridge Place, were both charged with Vehicle Hijacking, Robbery 1st Degree, and two counts of Armed Criminal Action. According to the St. Louis County Police Department's press release, both Boyd and Chatmon are being held on a stern $250,000 cash-only, no 10% bond.
Additionally, on July 28, the prosecuting authority charged 20-year-old Fernandor Williams of Corbitt Avenue and 23-year-old Terrance Lee, Jr. of Riverwood Drive with similar crimes, both facing a charge of Vehicle Hijacking, Robbery 1st Degree, and two counts of Armed Criminal Action, with Lee also bearing charges for Leaving the Scene of Accident and Resisting/Interfering with Arrest for a Felony. Each man is under the same cash-only bond as their alleged accomplices, posing a significant financial barrier to their release pending trial.
This criminal episode allegedly unfolded on July 24, when the victim was lured by an individual to return a refinished firearm. The victim was then confronted by the four suspects, with Williams and Lee accused of driving off in the victim’s vehicle. Notably, Lee is said to have crashed the stolen vehicle into a parked car belonging to a second victim, which led to their capture. After their attempt to seek refuge in a residence on Riverwood Drive, swift police intervention ensured that Lee and Williams did not evade for long. Williams was caught with the victim's personal articles, and Lee, having attempted to flee, was subdued and found in possession of the victim's car keys.
The county's prosecuting attorney's office confirms that the victim identified Boyd and Chatmon through photo lineups, and likewise, the identification of Williams and Lee by the first victim was pivotal. Lee has since confessed to the crime, according to statements obtained by the St. Louis County Police Department. This predicament for the accused marks another chapter of young lives ensnared by allegations of heinous crimes, and their presumed innocence will be tested in a court of law, where evidence and not suspicion shall cast the final judgment.
Detectives from St. Louis County Police Department's City of Jennings Precinct continue to delve into this case with due diligence.
