Five Elkhart men charged in violent home invasion robbery

Five Elkhart men have been charged in federal court for a violent home invasion robbery that happened on June 9. The homeowner was shot and the suspects stole drugs, a safe and a handgun, according to US Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.

Marco Fernandez, 24; Jose Trigo, 20; Juantio Gould, 24; Carlos Reyes, 20; and Emmanuel Martinez-Guevara, 20 were each indicted for robbery affecting interstate commerce and using, carrying, and discharging a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence.

“I commend the FBI, in addition to the other agencies that participated in solving this case,” said United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II. “Violent crimes, like those alleged, will be thoroughly investigated by our law enforcement partners and prosecuted by my Office.”

The five men, allegedly members of ChoppaBoyz, entered a home on June 9, shot the homeowner in the leg, then beat the homeowner and another person on the property while asking the whereabouts of a safe, according to the US Attorney's Office.

The safe, drugs, money, a handgun and jewelry were all stolen from the home, reports said.

When police arrived on the scene, they obtained a search warrant and located cocaine, marijuana and prescription pills that the robbers missed, reports said.

The victims said the suspects asked for an AR-15 pistol that was recently traded, which gave the victims an idea who committed the robbery, reports said.

All five were indicted in federal court.

Fernandez and Trigo are in the St. Joseph County Jail. Reyes and Martinez-Guevara are in jail in Utah. They are suspected of committing a robbery in Cedar City.

“This indictment is an example of the investigative focus on violence in our communities and the impact of collaboration among agencies in which crimes cross state lines,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Paul Keenan, “The FBI’s Safe Streets Gang Task Force will continue to work with our partners the Elkhart Police Department, the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department, and the South Bend Police Department to pursue those who commit these violent crimes and take them off our streets.”