Cape man charged after armed robbery in 1000 block of Sturdivant Street

Charges have been filed against a 24-year-old Cape Girardeau man for his alleged involvement in a series of events over the weekend surrounding an armed robbery and the theft of a firearm.

A suspect was located by police and identified as Justin D. Gray, according to according to Cape Girardeau police Sgt. Joey Hann. Officers obtained a search warrant and gathered evidence from Gray’s residence before he was arrested and transported to the Cape Girardeau Police Department, Hann stated.

The armed robbery was committed about 4:30 p.m. Friday in the 1000 block of Sturdivant Street in Cape Girardeau, according to a probable-cause statement written by patrolman Gabriel Yoder.

The probable-cause statement detailed a victim’s report to police, during which the victim told Yoder he was watching TV at a friend’s house when he heard someone enter the front door of the residence.

“Due to not expecting anyone else at the residence and it being in a high crime area [the victim] advised he drew his pistol and stood up to see who was at the door,” Yoder stated.

The victim recognized Gray and placed his pistol on the bed before sitting back down, Yoder stated, at which point Gray allegedly entered the room wearing a red bag from which he drew a Smith & Wesson 9 mm pistol.

According to the probable-cause statement, Gray pointed the pistol at the victim and said he was going to “blast him” because the victim was involved with Gray’s girlfriend.

Gray allegedly pointed his gun at the victim’s head and told the victim he would shoot him if he did not give up his gun, according to the probable-cause statement, and the victim backed away.

Gray then took the victim’s Taurus TH9C 9 mm handgun from the bed and left the residence, Yoder stated.

Another encounter between the victim and the suspect occurred at about 4:40 p.m. the next day in the 1600 block of Lexington Avenue, according to a probable-cause statement written by Cape Girardeau police Cpl. Brett Hellmann.

According to the second probable-cause statement, the victim was driving with his girlfriend when he observed Gray standing outside of a residence and stopped his vehicle to confront Gray about the robbery.

“Gray then reached into a “little red bag” he had across his chest and pulled out “his black gun” and said he was going to “bust” if [redacted] didn’t keep driving,” according to the second probable-cause statement.

Hellmann stated the victim then left and called 911 to report the incident after parking his vehicle on a side street.

A search warrant previously had been completed in reference to the Friday robbery and forwarded to Judge Benjamin F. Lewis for review, Hellmann stated. The warrant was signed shortly after 5 p.m. and a search was conducted.

A red fanny pack matching the descriptions provided by the victim was located in a bedroom containing quantities of marijuana and a crystal-like substance that tested positive for methamphetamine, according to the second probable-cause statement.

Hellmann stated a Smith & Wesson M&P9 Shield 9 mm handgun with seven rounds of ammunition in its magazine and one round in its chamber was located nearby under a mattress.

According to the second probable-cause statement, the recovered firearm’s information was run through the National Crime Information Center database and returned as having been previously reported stolen to the Cape Girardeau Police Department.

Hellmann stated a federal Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives Task Force officer later interviewed an inmate at the Perry County Jail.

The inmate confessed to stealing the Smith and Wesson from a vehicle in a trailer park near Pioneer Drive, according to the probable-cause statement, and then trading the stolen firearm to an individual while Gray was present.

Two separate warrants were filed by Cape Girardeau County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Cody D. Samples and signed by Lewis authorizing Gray’s arrest on multiple felony charges.

The arrest warrant related to the Friday incident charges Gray with one Class A felony count of first-degree robbery while armed with a deadly weapon and an unclassified felony count of armed criminal action. Lewis set a $100,000 surety-bond for the charges related to the Friday incident.

The arrest warrant related to the Saturday incident charges Gray with one Class D felony count of unlawful possession of a firearm, one Class D felony count of possession of a controlled substance and one Class E felony count of unlawful use of a weapon. Lewis set a $50,000 surety-bond for the charges related to the Saturday incident.

Gray is in custody at the Cape Girardeau County Jail.