Compiled by Jared Curtis jared@dmcityview.com

On the clock
Des Moines Police — May 25-26

May 25, 11:15 p.m.
Robbery in the 1000 block of East 14th Street. The victim told police he was going to Courtside Bar & Grill, 1014 E. 14th St. He pulled up to the club, but the area was dark. He went to check if the bar was open and it was closed. He began walking back to his car when a vehicle pulled up behind him. The victim stated two black males wearing dark colored hooded sweatshirts approached him and said, “this is a stick up.” One of the suspects pointed a large caliber handgun at him. The suspects stole a gold 30-inch neck chain with a 9-karat diamond pendant and a bracelet with 16-karat diamonds, valued at more than $32,000. The two suspects returned to their vehicle — possibly a Chevy — and fled the scene. There were no witnesses.

May 26, 3 a.m.
First-degree robbery in the 1200 block of Sixth Avenue. The victim stated he was at QuikTrip, 1215 6th Ave., and was robbed in the parking lot. He said three black male teenagers approached him and asked him for money. When he said he had none, one of the suspects stabbed him in the upper part of his left arm. The victim said he wasn’t familiar with the area and did not know which way the suspects fled.

May 26, 9:45 a.m.
Robbery in the 1600 block of 34th Street. The victim was sitting in his car, which was parked in a lot on the southeast side of Grandview Park. A black male wearing a white T-shirt and black pants approached the driver’s side window and pointed a handgun at the victim yelling, “give me all your money, punk.” The victim gave him $130, then called his father and the police. Officers spoke with a group who was barbecuing and they stated they saw a Hispanic male in a grey shirt and back pack, run once officers started to shine a spotlight in the park. Officers brought the victim to the barbecue, but none of the witnesses were identified as the suspect.

BUSTED

Name: Vernon Erwin Shelton
The story: Two women were standing in the hallway of their apartment building, 3720 Martin Luther King Pkwy., talking near the north door. The victim told police that a man, later identified as Shelton, approached them and accused the victim of stealing from him. An argument ensued, then Shelton shot the victim in the leg. A witness ran outside to tell the victim’s husband that she was shot. He ran inside and saw Shelton standing over his wife saying, “you don’t steal from me.” The husband grabbed a machete from his apartment and kept Shelton at bay until police arrived. Shelton was arrested and charged with assault (willful injury) and taken to the Polk County Jail.

DOCKET DIVING

The following is from a recent ruling made by the Iowa Court of Appeals regarding the case of the State of Iowa vs. Bobby Robey.

“On Sept. 30, 2000, Deputy Tom Griffiths observed that the driver in a passing vehicle was not wearing his seatbelt. The driver, Scott Russell, and his passenger, Bobby Robey, got out of the car as soon as it stopped. The deputy ordered both individuals to get back into the vehicle. Deputy Griffiths obtained Russell’s consent to search his vehicle. Upon a search the deputy discovered a large quantity of methamphetamine underneath the dashboard on the passenger side of the car. He found a smaller amount of methamphetamine and some marijuana as well as what he described as a “black planner” laying on the passenger side. There was some methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and an electronic digital scale inside of the planner. He found $1,527 in cash in Robey’s pants pocket. Russell and Robey were charged with conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, failure to possess a tax stamp and possession of marijuana.

“Prior to trial, Russell agreed to testify against Robey. Russell thereafter pled guilty to failure to possess a tax stamp and possession of marijuana, and the State dismissed the remaining charges against him. Russell testified that when they were sitting in his car waiting for the deputy to come back, Robey told him “he had three ounces of methamphetamine and not to let the police officer search the vehicle.” The jury found Robey guilty of possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver and failure to possess a tax stamp. Robey filed a direct appeal, which our supreme court dismissed as frivolous. Robey then filed an application for postconviction relief. He alleged his trial counsel was ineffective because she did not request a jury instruction on corroboration of accomplice testimony.

“We find Robey did not establish he was prejudiced by his trial counsel’s failure to request a jury instruction regarding corroboration of an accomplice’s testimony. Nor did he establish he was prejudiced by his counsel’s failure to object to an instruction on aiding and abetting. We therefore reject his ineffective-assistance-of-counsel claims. The judgment of the district court denying his application for postconviction relief is accordingly affirmed.”

MOST WANTED

Name: Desmon “Ice Cold” Campbell
Age: 18
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 185 lbs.
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Wanted for: Second degree robbery.

On May 11, Campbell and his accomplice, Deland “DD” Stanley, mugged an elderly couple as they were returning to their hotel room.

If you know where to find these fugitives, call Crime Stoppers at 223-1400.

503 : The number of robberies committed in Des Moines in 2007.

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