Trial set for man charged with robbery in drug deal gone bad

A trial date has been set for an area man described by police as one of two men who promised to sell another man drugs -- but then robbed him at gunpoint instead.

Rico F. Lucious, 22, of Cape Girardeau is facing life in prison on charges of first-degree robbery, armed criminal action and unlawful possession of a firearm. Lucious appeared in court Monday along with his defense lawyer, assistant public defender Jennifer Slone, where Judge Benjamin Lewis set a trial date for June 27.

Lucious has been held at the Cape Girardeau County Jail on $100,000 bond since his arrest in January 2012, when police were dispatched to Christine and Bloomfield streets for an armed robbery call. When officers arrived, the victim said an alleged drug transaction was to take place between him and another man, police said.

But, the alleged victim said, instead of a problem-free drug deal, he was forced at gunpoint into the drug dealer's car, where another man pulled out a shotgun and demanded money. The alleged victim said he gave the men all the money he had.

Two suspects were found, according to police, by the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force. Lucious and 32-year-old Michael R. Fitzpatrick of Hannibal, Mo., were taken into custody at a house in Jackson.

Police found a shotgun outside the house under a pile of other items, police statements said.

Fitzpatrick is to stand trial April 2 before Judge William Lewis.

Pertinent address:

100 Court St., Jackson, Mo.