Four teenagers were arrested after police say they were involved in a shooting and robbed a man at gunpoint.
Arman Baeza, 18, was charged with two counts of engaging in organized criminal activity, a first-degree felony, and criminal mischief, a state jail felony, while Carl Cockren, 17, was charged with two counts of engaging in organized criminal activity, a first-degree felony. Killian Horton, 18, was charged with two counts of engaging in organized criminal activity, a first-degree felony and Madison Watkins, 18, was charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, a first-degree felony.
In addition to the three recent charges, Baeza also was charged with going off bond for five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony.
On Feb. 19, officers responded to a shots fired call to the Windchase Apartments located at 4100 E. 50th Street, an Odessa Police Department probable cause affidavit stated.
Investigation showed the victim, identified as Alexis Mendoza, identified a back passenger of a gray Pontiac. The back passenger, identified as Baeza, possibly had a handgun and shot off a round. Mendoza stated she had gotten into an argument with Baeza’s girlfriend and that Baeza was calling her phone.
Mendoza also told police her mother, identified as Krista Cuellar, had seen Baeza who was a passenger in a gray vehicle and that Baeza pointed the gun at Mendoza and shot at her.
At 6:22 a.m. on Feb. 19, police say they were dispatched to the 1300 block of E. Eighth Street in reference to a robbery. The victim, identified as Elisandro Pridgen, stated he was walking north on Allred Avenue from Sixth Street.
Pridgen stated several males had beat him up and taken his wallet and cellphone, another OPD probable cause affidavit stated. Pridgen stated inside the wallet was cash. Pridgen also stated the suspects were in a gray vehicle and were last seen driving north on Allred.
Investigation showed the vehicle was a 2001 gray Pontiac and was being operated by Cockren, the affidavit stated. Officers located the gray Pontiac and conducted a traffic stop in the 500 block of W. 48th Street and the driver was identified as Cockren.
Police say Cockren was read his Miranda Warning and he waived his rights. Cockren admitted that he and three other teens were inside his vehicle when Baeza fired off a round toward Mendoza.
Killian, he said, was sitting in the front passenger seat, and Baeza was sitting in the right back passenger seat accompanied by his girlfriend who was later identified as Watkins when the shooting took place, the affidavit detailed.
In the robbery affidavit, Cockren told police that he drove Horton and Baeza to a residence located in the area of E. Sixth Street and Allred Avenue. Cockren stated that when they were at the location Baeza saw an unknown male, Pridgen, that was walking in the street and told Cockren to drive to him.
Cockren stated that Baeza and Horton exited the vehicle and Baeza was holding a gun in one of his hands, the affidavit stated. Cockren stated that both Baeza and Horton approached Pridgen and robbed him at gunpoint.
It was later discovered that prints from the vehicle that Cockren was operating belonged to Baeza and Horton.
Cockren, Baeza, Horton and Watkins were each arrested and booked into the Ector County Law Enforcement Center on Feb. 20, jail records show. Baeza has eight bonds totaling $777,500, Cockren and Horton each have two bonds totaling $150,000, while Watkins has one bond totaling $50,000. All four were still in custody as of Wednesday afternoon.
