Teenagers Charged as Adults in 7-Eleven Robberies

Strategic Insights -

Four teenagers and two adults have been charged in connection with a series of armed robberies of 7-Eleven stores in Colorado Springs. Osvaldo Reyes-Vidal, 15, Rodrigo Leal, 16, and Irving Omar Rodriguez, 17, were charged with aggravated robbery and crimes of violence, and are being held at the El Paso County jail on a $175,000 bond. They will be tried as adults, with prosecutors citing a rash of recent robberies as the reason for the decision. If convicted, they could face prison sentences of between 10 and 32 years for each robbery count, with the possibility of the sentences running consecutively if they are found guilty of a crime of violence.

Key Takeaways:

  • Osvaldo Reyes-Vidal, Rodrigo Leal, and Irving Omar Rodriguez, all teenagers, were charged with aggravated robbery and crimes of violence in connection with the 7-Eleven robberies.
  • They will be tried as adults, with prosecutors citing the nature of the charge, the defendants' ages, and their criminal histories as factors in the decision.
  • If convicted, they could face prison sentences of between 10 and 32 years for each robbery count, with the possibility of the sentences running consecutively if they are found guilty of a crime of violence.
  • Two men, Benito Castillo, 23, and Edward V. Castillo, 21, have also been charged in the robberies.
  • The teenagers were advised of the charges by Juvenile Court Magistrate Dulce Denise Peacock, with a Spanish interpreter explaining the proceedings to their parents.
  • Their next court appearance is February 1 in District Court.
  • Colorado law permits prosecutors to file first-degree murder charges against juveniles who are 14 years or older, and a judge must approve the transfer of a juvenile murder suspect to adult court if the defendant is younger than 14.
  • Prosecutors consider the nature of the charge, the defendant's age and criminal history in weighing whether to charge them as adults.

Statistics:

  • The teenagers are being held at the El Paso County jail on a $175,000 bond.
  • The possible prison sentences for the teenagers if convicted range from 10 to 32 years per robbery count.
  • The two men charged in the robberies, Benito Castillo and Edward V. Castillo, are 23 and 21 years old, respectively.
  • The 7-Eleven stores were robbed at 3805 E. Pikes Peak Ave. and 2555 Delta Drive, with the first robbery occurring at 2:22 a.m. on Sunday and the second occurring about 45 minutes later.

Sources:

  • "Prosecutors file charges against 3 Colorado Springs teens in 7-Eleven robberies," Gazette (no date provided)
  • 4th Judicial District Attorney Dan May's statement (no date provided)
  • Carrie Thompson, head of the El Paso County office of the Colorado Public Defender (no date provided)