22-year-old Marcellus Pegues was charged with carjacking and theft of property after he drove to work in a vehicle his gang members helped him steal.
On August 9th, Tenola Plaxtico called police and told them he had been robbed of his black 2008 Mercedes-Benz S550 at Cane Creek Apartments, 1570 Cane Meadow Circle. Plaxtico told police that he was with a friend, Marcellus Pegues, at a nearby restaurant and afterward Pegues asked for a ride home. Plaxtico agreed and started driving, but Pegues changed his drop-off location to his “cousin’s house.” When they arrived, two men with guns walked up to the car and put their guns to Plaxtico’s head. All three men left Plaxtico on the ground without his phone as they drove off in his car. One day later the car was found unoccupied.
Four days after the Mercedes was recovered, officers went to Arcade Restaurant in response to a separate vehicle, a 2010 Infiniti M35 stolen in Arkansas, was spotted nearby. Officers questioned the manager, and he said that Pegues had driven the vehicle to work that day. Pueges was arrested and authorities found the keys to the vehicle in his pocket. In addition to being arrested, Pegues was also questioned about the carjacking of Plaxtico’s Mercedes. He told police the identity of one the other robbers along with admitting to being in the gang WLE (Whole Lot of Everything).
I personally spoke with Jeffrey Zepatos, fourth-generation owner of Arcade Restaurant, and he laments the loss of Marcellus in his restaurant saying, “I respect him. I hate that he got pulled into this mess.” Jeffery said that Marcellus “often had transportation issues.” and that he personally Ubered the young man to and from work occasionally. Jeffery said that he had personally spent time with the young man, encouraging him to stay on the right track.
Marcellus Pegues was arrested and charged with carjacking and theft of property. His total bond was set at $70,000.
