Flagler County Sheriff Arrests Two Palm Coast Teens for Armed Robbery

By-Line: Courtney Sebastianelli, PIO FCSO

On May 29, Flagler County Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested two teenagers, Chimale Santiago-Thomas, 16, and Nico Johnson, 16, both of Palm Coast, after the pair robbed another teen at gunpoint.

On Thursday afternoon, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center received a report from a woman stating that her son, who is in his teens, had been robbed at gunpoint in the parking lot of European Village in Palm Coast. According to the victim, he met with Santiago-Thomas and Johnson that afternoon to hang out and took his parents’ handgun with him to “look cool” and “fit in.”

During the investigation, detectives with the FCSO Major Case Unit determined that the three juveniles were sitting in a parked vehicle when Santiago-Thomas pointed a handgun at the victim’s head and demanded he surrender his belongings. The victim complied, handing over his parent’s gun and the money he had over to Santiago-Thomas and Johnson before exiting the vehicle. After the robbery, the victim walked home and disclosed the incident to his mother, who then called 911.

Within an hour of the 911 call, deputies located the suspect vehicle and conducted a high-risk traffic stop at the intersection of Lee Drive and London Drive. During the stop, deputies discovered Johnson and Santiago-Thomas inside the car. During a search of the vehicle, detectives located two handguns in a backpack in the rear of the vehicle as well as marijuana.

The driver, Nico Johnson, was arrested for Accessory After the Fact, Grand Theft of a Firearm, and Possession of a Firearm by Minor. He was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility for processing before being turned over to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice in Daytona Beach.

Deputies also arrested Chimale Santiago-Thomas for Robbery with a Firearm, Grand Theft of a Firearm, Possession of a Firearm by Minor, and Violation of Probation. He was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility for processing before being turned over to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice in Daytona Beach.

“This was excellent work by our deputies, Major Case Unit detectives, and analysts from our Real Time Crime Center, who quickly identified and apprehended both teenagers involved in this robbery,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “This incident could have ended in serious injuries or deaths but the swift action of the victim’s parents and our deputies stopped these two before they could commit any more crimes. Now, they will have to face the consequences of their actions and prosecution under State Attorney Larizza’s ‘Young Guns’ initiative. I urge parents to take proper safety precautions secure their firearms and remember to be the Sheriff of your home.”