Six suspects have been indicted by a Davidson County grand jury for their role in dozens of robberies spanning two years, targeting Latino residents of South Nashville.
Metro Police say between 2017 and 2019, the individuals stole at least $150,000 from their victims, typically breaking into their homes through sliding patio doors that were left unlocked.
Lt. Pete Dusche of the Midtown precinct led the investigation and says the ethnicity of their victims wasn’t a fluke.
“They said in one of the interviews that the Latino families are easier for them to target because they carry cash on them and that, in their opinion, they are less likely to call police and ask for assistance,” he said at a press conference Friday afternoon.
The police department assigned two Spanish-speaking detectives to work the case. They also gathered tips through the “el Protector” program, meant to build trust between Latinos and police.
While police say there were 150 holdups in all, only 29 cases are being prosecuted by the District Attorney, given the strength of the evidence.
Four of the six suspects are already in custody, with two people at large. Police say the suspected ring leader is Montez Brown, with ties to both Clarksville and Nashville. He’s been in custody since December 2019 on robbery and weapons charges. He’s facing the most charges, with 62 counts against him.
On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM