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Tampa Police Arrest 4 Men In 2 Similar Robberies

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By VALERIE KALFRIN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 8, 2008

Jorge Luis Otero

Derrick Anthony Johnson

Xavier Leonard Jones

Darius Alexander White

TAMPA - Police charged four men in two similar robberies on Tuesday, one involving a 12-year-old boy, records show.

Jorge Luis Otero, 23, of Brandon; Derrick Anthony Johnson, 19, of Brandon; Xavier Leonard Jones, 22, of Brandon; and Darius Alexander White, 20, of Valrico all are charged with felony strong-arm robbery.

The four were walking through the parking lot of a Howard Johnson hotel at 2520 N. 50th St. about 9:20 a.m. Tuesday and talking about needing money, preliminary Tampa police reports state.

They saw a 21-year-old man talking on a cell phone, struck him and began rifling through his pockets, police said. They found no money and left in a maroon 1995 Volvo as a witness rushed to help, police said.

Nearly an hour later, at about 10:15 a.m., the four were driving in the 5600 block of North Miami Avenue when they saw a 12-year-old boy counting a handful of money, police said.

The boy's mother had sent him to the store with $125 to purchase a money order, police said.

Otero, White and Johnson jumped out of the car, and Otero rushed up to the boy, frightening him into handing over the cash, police said.

Following up on a description of the car, police stopped the Volvo about 1 p.m. near Westshore Plaza, where witnesses from the robberies identified the quartet as the attackers, police said.

Police recovered $64 that was taken from the 12-year-old, a report states.

All were held at Orient Road Jail today. Jones was held without bail because the arrest violates his probation in another case. White's bail was set at $30,000, jail records show. Otero and Johnson were held on $15,000 bail each.

Reporter Valerie Kalfrin can be reached at (813) 259-7800 or vkalfrin@tampatrib.com.

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