3 charged with robbery after threatening man with pellet gun near Kirkwood campus

CEDAR RAPIDS - Three men have been accused of robbery, and one of them also charged with assault, after police say they threatened a man with a pellet gun, punched him and robbed him of cash, shoes, and a cellphone.

According to criminal complaints filed Wednesday at the Linn County Courthouse, Thomas M. Vesey, 18, Thomas D. Vesey, 19, and Preston White, 18, have all been charged with second-degree robbery for an incident that occurred near the Kirkwood Community College Campus at 1:09 a.m. Wednesday. Thomas M. Vesey is also facing an additional assault charge.

Police say that the three men ganged up on another man at 314 66th Ave SW in Cedar Rapids, punching him and threatening him with a pellet gun and stealing $300, his cellphone and a pair of Jordan sneakers. According to the complaint, Thomas M. Vesey pointed the pellet gun at a witness present during the incident.

The three men were apprehended by the Cedar Rapids Police Department shortly after the incident, according to the complaint, and the stolen items were found in their possession. The man who they robbed suffered 'visible injuries,” according to the complaint.

Second-degree robbery is defined in the Iowa Code as a Class C felony. The assault listed type under Iowa Code for Thomas M. Vesey is a simple misdemeanor.