Houston Police Department
Update: Suspects Identified, Charged in Cell Phone Store Robberies
April 4, 2012 - Houston Police Department Robbery Division investigators have identified and charged two suspects wanted for at least 14 robberies of businesses throughout north and northeast Houston since February of this year.
Nelvin Dupree Cook (b/m, DOB: 4-24-88) is charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the 337th State District Court. Randolph Lionell Long (b/m, DOB: 10-20-90) is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the 248th State District Court. Both are currently in the Orange County, California jail, charged with armed robbery stemming from an incident in Fullerton, California. Photos of Cook and Long are attached to this news release.
HPD Robbery Division Sergeant M. Green reported:
Surveillance video and photos of suspects Cook and Long were released to the public in order to gain assistance in identifying them. They were linked to robberies at:
- 9421 Mesa - Subway and an EZ Loan Store
- 9415 Mesa - Game Stop
- 3415 Orlando - Boostmobil
- 5540 Airline - Boostmobil
- 6515 Tidwell - Cricket
- 3301 E. Tidwell - Cricket
- 7208 N. Shepherd- Cricket
- 8703 MLK - Cricket
- 2920 Tidwell - EZ Money
- 5910 Scott - Club Cellular
- 133 Little York - Gold Depot
- 2030 Little York - Paisono Cricker
In all cases, Cook or Long entered the business and pretended to be a customer before robbing the business. Usually they were alone but occasionally were together. A revolver with a red laser light was consistently used during the robbery.
Further investigation developed information that identified Cook and Long as suspects in these cases.
On March 19, Robbery Division investigators were advised that both Cook and Long had been arrested and charged in Orange County after an attempted robbery of a jewelry store in Fullerton, California. Both were arrested after fleeing from the scene of the robbery and being involved in a traffic accident. During the course of that robbery, Cook also sustained non life-threatening gunshot wounds from the store's owner.
Update: JKS/VHS 4-4-12
JKS/JFC 2-28-12
For additional information, please contact the HPD Public Affairs Division at 713-308-3200.
