Four ex-convicts indicted in robberies

Theirs was a partnership formed behind the bars of Nevada's penitentiaries, authorities said.

Imprisoned on felony convictions, Leonard Hunt, 33, David Hayes, 35, Jovan Carter, 23, and Abdul Shakir, 40, spent their time scheming, prosecutors said. Once free, the four planned a series of home invasion robberies, prosecutors said.

They plotted their strategy to baffle investigators, which included wearing gloves, masks and hoodies to avoid leaving forensic evidence at crime scenes, prosecutors said.

Once out of prison and on parole, the four men set their plans in motion, committing at least 15 home invasion robberies since the beginning of the year, prosecutors said.

In April, police announced they had recovered roughly $25,000 in stolen merchandise in connection with the home invasions, including a "massive amount of jewelry" and a minivan.

On Wednesday, the indictments handed down by a Clark County grand jury for dozens of felony counts against the four men were unsealed. The felony charges they face include robbery with use of a deadly weapon, first-degree kidnapping, burglary and grand larceny.

Calling the defendants "a great danger to the community," prosecutor Roy Nelson asked that the men be held on high bail amounts, including $5 million for Hunt.

Nelson said a high bail would protect the victims involved, some of whom testified to the grand jury.

"They (the defendants) certainly have not learned their lesson, and they are an extreme danger to the community," Nelson said.

He said prison was not a deterrent: All four suspects already have served time on felony convictions.

"They all schemed how they were going to commit these robberies while they were in prison," Nelson said.

Hayes was living at a halfway house at the time the robberies were being committed, Nelson added. The other three defendants were on parole during the crime spree, according to jail and court records.

Judge Linda Bell ordered the four men to be held on $1.5 million bond each after determining that state law would not allow her to order the defendants held without bail.

The case against the four men came together in April.

For months, detectives were investigating home invasion robberies involving masked men who would enter through unlocked doors and windows, hold residents at gunpoint and rob them of their possessions, including cash, jewelry, electronics and guns.

Detectives said that during the robberies, one man acted as the lookout, another as the enforcer and another as the gatherer.

Police built their case around the four men after a woman named Sarah Cowen was arrested by detectives as she tried to pawn a watch stolen during a home invasion.

According to police documents, Cowen told police about the robbery ring and identified some of the defendants.

One victim from a March robbery, who was forced out of her car at gunpoint and instructed to let the suspects into her home, was able to identify Hayes by photograph.

Detectives who were tailing Hunt and Carter eventually caught them breaking into a residence near the Palms, police said.

Hunt tried to flee and rammed an unmarked police car, authorities said.

Shakir was identified by witnesses and implicated himself during an interview with police, Nelson said.

Nelson said additional charges could be added as the investigation continues.

The four men are scheduled to be appear Monday in District Court.

Contact reporter Francis McCabe at fmccabe@ reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039.