Two suspects have been arrested for allegedly robbing a teenager at gunpoint earlier this year, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office announced on Wednesday. 18-year-old Palm Coast resident Masiah Givens and 15-year-old Orange City resident Brandyn Villanueva are both in custody.
The incident was reported to the FCSO on March 1st, with a report that one day prior a juvenile had been robbed at gunpoint. While the victim’s details were not included in the FCSO’s release about the robbery, they described them as having been ‘a juvenile at the time’ when it happened on February 28th.
According to the victim’s recollection to the FCSO, he was in a vehicle with Givens and Villanueva when Givens brandished a handgun and told him to empty his pockets. After the victim gave the two all the money he had on him, they exited the vehicle. Further investigation reportedly revealed that the gun in question was actually a BB gun with its orange tip removed.
Givens was arrested on March 2nd, charged with armed robbery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, petty theft, and battery. He was booked into the county jail without bond, and he remains in custody there as of Thursday. Givens has no prior criminal bookings in Flagler County.
Detectives investigating the case were reportedly able to find communications between Givens and Villanueva conspiring to commit the robbery after they saw the victim withdraw cash from an ATM that same day. Givens was said to have told Villanueva to watch the victim as the robbery took place and then keep possession of the BB gun after the fact.
Villanueva was subject to an ‘order to take juvenile into custody’ and he was charged with conspiracy to commit armed robbery, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, accessory after the fact to armed robbery, and accessory after the fact to aggravated assault. He was taken into custody by the Volusia Sheriff’s Office at his school on April 14th and brought to the Volusia Family Resource Center.
“This was excellent work by our deputies and Major Case Unit to ensure that both people involved in this robbery are being held accountable,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “Offenders should know that we don’t give up until everyone involved in a crime has been identified and arrested. Villanueva probably thought he had gotten away with committing the crime but found out quickly he shouldn’t be celebrating too soon!”
