Devon Z. Craft
OAKLAND – Detectives from the San Leandro Police Department presented their case to the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office on July 13 against an Oakland man, who is suspected of committing a series of armed street robberies during May and June.
San Leandro officers arrested 31-year-old Devon Z. Craft at his girlfriend’s residence in Oakland on July 11, a short distance away from Jefferson Street in San Leandro, where Craft allegedly robbed at least three men at gunpoint.
Craft is charged with three counts of armed robbery, and a gun enhancement charge as a parolee, which makes Craft eligible for a state prison sentence—if he’s convicted.
Craft is scheduled to appear July 18 for a plea hearing at the Gale Schenone Hall of Justice. He remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail, ineligible for release on bond.
Investigators obtained cell phone records linking him to victims who responded to advertising on Backpage.com. The suspect allegedly used his cell phone to pre-arrange nefarious meetings with his victims.
Craft is accused of luring men to the 1100 block of Jefferson Street during evening hours on the pretext of hooking up with a prostitute. When the victims arrived at the designated location, Craft allegedly brandished a gun—and robbed them of their valuables.
Three victims cooperated with police and reported how they were robbed, which prompted detectives to conduct an extensive investigation that eventually implicated Craft.
Police believe there may be more unwitting men who were lured to robberies, but who didn’t report what happened to them.
