A man who lives in Midland has been charged with various felonies in connection with an armed robbery in Odessa. Police claim that, during the arrest, the man attempted to use a firearm against them as well.
The authorities are alleging that the man is a suspect in a prior robbery that occurred on Oct. 16 in Odessa. A resident of an Orchid Lane home says he returned to find an armed man inside of his house. The armed man then tied him up and stole several items, including a firearm. Police claim that the Midland man has been identified as this armed robber. Authorities have charged him with various offenses, including felony drug charges, burglary and violating parole.
On Oct. 22, around 6:44 a.m., a police officer arrived at a home on Storey Avenue in Midland. The officer found the 28-year-old man asleep in a recliner behind the home. According to authorities, the officer then began a pat down of the man, waking him up. Police claim that the man tried to draw his firearm from his pants. The officer used pepper spray on him. The police report claims that the man had cocaine and methamphetamine in his possession in a designated drug-free zone, and that the gun’s serial number matches the serial number of the gun stolen in the home invasion.
It’s not clear why the police officer decided to frisk the man while he was asleep or why he was on the man’s property, but a defense lawyer may investigate to see if this was legal. The mere presence of the gun does not prove that the man was the armed intruder. He could have easily acquired it from somebody else. While the man has several charges against him, the burglary charge is the most serious, with a minimum five-year sentence, and so may be the most important to dispute.
Source: My West Texas, “MPD: Odessa armed robbery suspect arrested for drug possession“, Tyler White, October 24, 2013