Trio Pleads No Contest in String of Craigslist Armed Robberies

Three men arrested last year for a string of armed robberies involving Craigslist ads each pleaded no contest to one count of felony robbery in court Monday.

According to the Fremont Police Department, the trio — Alex Crisp, 29, of Vallejo; Trenton Frolander, 19, of Vallejo and Jabari Knight-Jenkins, 20, of Fairfield — targeted victims in eight cities who placed ads on Craigslist listing electronics, expensive shoes and designer watches for sale.

The suspects would contact the suspects via email or phone to set up a meeting place. When the victims would arrive, the man would pull out a gun and demand the items.  In some cases, the victims were battered and, in at least one case, pistol whipped, police said.

The crimes took place in the month of August 2012 in Fremont, San Jose, Berkeley, Pinole, Fairfield, San Leandro, Oakland, Alameda and unincorporated Alameda County.

Law enforcement agencies from the respective cities joined together to launch an investigation.

Physical and electronic evidence linked Crisp, Frolander and Knight-Jenkins to the series of crimes, according to the Fremont Police Department.

Crisp was arrested in Vallejo on Aug. 2012 by the Fremont Police SWAT team, with Frolander arrested Sept. 15 2012 by Fairfield police in Fairfield and Knight-Jenkins being arrested Sept. 16 in Solano County. All three were charged with felony robbery in connection to the crime spree.

The trio entered their no contest pleas Monday at the Fremont Hall of Justice and are scheduled to be sentenced next month.