Two Cleveland men were indicted Thursday for going on a robbing spree at local MetroPCS stores and shooting at an off-duty police officer at the end of March.
Shawn Ford, 19, was charged with three counts of brandishing or using a firearm during a crime of violence. Charles Rogers, 23, was charged with one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and two counts of aiding or abetting the use or brandishing of a firearm during crime a violence.
The pair is accused of robbing MetroPCS stores in Cleveland over a span of a week, according to the Department of Justice.
Ford and Rogers are accused of robbing the MetroPCS store at 10959 Kinsman Road on March 21. The two are also accused of robbing stores at 11100 Lorain Ave. on March 25, and stores at 14701 Kinsman Road and 5853 Broadway Ave. on March 27.
After the duo fled the store on Broadway Avenue with more than $1,000 cash, an off-duty officer who was a customer in the store followed them. Rogers and Ford started shooting at the officer. A total of 15 shell casings from a 9 mm were recovered from the scene, according to authorities.
Rogers was wearing a GPS tracking device during the March 21 robbery. The GPS was later tampered with or taken off by Rogers, according to authorities.
Thirty minutes after the shooting, an officer saw the vehicle matching the same one Rogers and Ford allegedly got in after shooting at the officer.
During the traffic stop, a spent 9 mm round, blue latex gloves and clothing matching that of the suspects were found inside the car.
