Nebraska man charged in Cedar Rapids armed robbery

A Nebraska man has been arrested in connection with an armed robbery in Cedar Rapids in which a victim was tied up.

Quantrel W. Ward, 19, of Lincoln, Neb., is charged with first-degree robbery after the Jan. 18 incident at 55 Florida Ct. SW. He is accused of displaying a knife during the crime, according to court documents.

According to a police, four men arrived at the residence and told Brett Jeffries, 19, they were waiting for one of his roommates. Jeffries told police the men then forced their way into his room and tied his hands at knife-point.

The men took electronics, a safe and its contents, with a total estimated value of $206, police said.

Police made the first arrest in the case when they took Ward into custody around 8:15 p.m. Thursday in the 1200 block of H Avenue NE. He was positively identified as one of the men involved in the robbery, and text messages he sent corroborated his involvement, according to a criminal complaint.

Ward remained at the Linn County Jail on Friday, in lieu of $20,000 cash bond. Police said the investigation was continuing.