NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Metro police officials announced indictments against six people in connection with "dozens of often violent robberies of primarily Latino families between 2017 and 2019."
In those two years, police say the six-person crew was linked to 150 holdups of primarily Latino families throughout Nashville. A Davidson County Grand Jury indicted them on 126 criminal counts.
Police say they zeroed in on Latino families because they knew many are afraid to go to the police.
"Many feel if they come to the police, that they are going to now be a victim of maybe getting deported, which was always a big issue for many years, not realizing that’s not what we are here for, we are here to serve them," said Captain Carlos Lara with Metro Police.
Officials say the indictments stem from 29 violent robberies in which victims not only lost belongings but were also beaten while cooperating with the suspects' commands.
- Montez Brown, 27, with ties to Clarksville & Nashville, the suspected leader of the group, who has been in custody since December 2019 on related aggravated robbery and weapon charges. Brown is facing a total of 62 counts of aggravated robbery, 7 counts of aggravated burglary, 37 weapon counts, and 3 counts of aggravated assault.
- Anthony Campbell III, 27, has been in custody since August 2019 on related aggravated robbery charges. He faces a total of 4 counts of aggravated robbery, 1 count of aggravated burglary, and 1 weapon count.
- Tevin Kelly, 27, of was taken into custody on the indictment Thursday and who possessed a loaded semi-automatic pistol at the time of his apprehension. Kelly has been indicted on 1 count of aggravated robbery, with additional charges against him anticipated.
- Nathan Rosenthal Jr., 30, of Nashville, who was taken into custody Thursday. Rosenthal has been indicted on 4 counts of aggravated robbery, 1 count of aggravated burglary, and 2 weapon counts.
- Quanisha Moore, 26, of Clarksville, who remains at large. She has been indicted on 10 counts of aggravated robbery.
- Demarrious Malone, 29, of Memphis, who also remains at large. He has been indicted on 3 counts of aggravated robbery.
Detectives discussed the investigation during a press conference Friday afternoon:
One of those effort MNPD said it has made in the Latino community is the "El Protector" program, talking directly to Hispanic neighbors. Two years ago, as the assaults and robberies were in full swing, officers with that program went to the apartments the thieves were targeting, and gave away sticks for neighbors to put on sliding glass doors, even on second floor apartments, where the suspects were climbing up.
"It's a simple thing, it doesn’t look like a big thing putting a stick on the door, but it makes a difference when looking at what the detectives have done, in educating people about," Lara said. "That may have saved a lot of people from being victims."
