Two robbery suspects testify against colleague

Two suspects admitted culpability in the robbery of college students and testified against a fellow robber during a preliminary hearing Wednesday.

Both Jordan L. Benford, 20, of Lebanon, Tennessee, and Ricky R. Lucious, 20, of Cape Girardeau admitted they were present at the robbery Oct. 12.

Benford said he was one of three men, with Kwame S. Fleming, 19, and James Weir, 22, both of Lebanon, who took a laptop computer and cellphones by force on North Sprigg Street. They testified against Fleming in a plea agreement that would reduce a charge of first-degree robbery to second-degree robbery, with a recommended sentence of five years in the Department of Corrections, assistant prosecuting attorney Angel Woodruff said.

Fleming and Weir face charges of two counts of first-degree robbery, a class A felony that carries a minimum sentence of 10 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections, and felony armed criminal action.

“We saw two college students walking, and we decided to rob them,” Benford said. “I guess because we thought they had money.”

Benford said Fleming, also known as “Fudge,” told the students to “Give us what you got.” He said Weir was armed with a handgun.

Lucious was in a vehicle during the robbery, and he saw Benford, Fleming or Weir pull a gun but was not sure which of them had the weapon. Lucious mentioned they did not know the college students before the robbery.

“We were driving around,” Lucious said. “Everybody just started talking about getting out and robbing them for what they have.”

The victims in the case appeared in court Jan. 14. In a probable-cause statement for the case, the victims said one of the robbers hit him in the stomach with brass knuckles, and his wallet was stolen. Fleming will have an arraignment at 9 a.m. March 14.

Fleming, Benford and Lucious are involved with several cases in Cape Girardeau County from last fall. Fleming faces a felony fraudulent use of a credit card charge when he used a stolen bank card Oct. 12, according to the probable-cause statement. Benford was charged with felony receiving stolen property and fraudulent use of a credit card from the same case. Lucious and Fleming were charged with felony burglary, robbery, armed criminal action and second-degree assault stemming from a late-night home invasion Nov. 8 in the 2700 block of Bloomfield Road.

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address:

1100 block of North Sprigg Street, Cape Girardeau, Mo.