Man arrested after teen says he was robbed and beaten for $46 in drug deal
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IDAHO FALLS — Police arrested an Idaho Falls man Wednesday after he allegedly beat and robbed a teenager for $46.
Idaho Falls Police officers were looking for Aqwane Reeves, 30, after receiving a warrant to arrest him for felony robbery and battery to commit robbery. According to an affidavit of probable cause, detectives began investigating Reeves on Aug. 22 after he allegedly attacked a 16-year-old boy and stole money from him while trying to buy marijuana.
Officers first spoke with the victim at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center around 10 p.m. the night of the attack. Police reports indicate the teen had three severe head wounds, bruising and a cut on his nose. The teen reported that he had just been attacked in a field off Ashment Avenue.
The teen reported being with three friends in the field when a green SUV pulled up in the area. The friends reportedly ran away, but the teen stayed thinking nothing would happen. The teen then said three people got out of the SUV, ran toward him and attacked him.
When speaking with investigators, the teen said he did not know the men who attacked him and did not want to get his friends involved. He refused to give officers their identities.
The victim called officers later and told them a friend saw Reeves bragging on Snapchat about beating someone up. He said he did not know Reeves and pointed out that a woman saw the alleged attack.
In a second interview with officers, the teen changed his story. He said he went to an apartment on Ashment to buy marijuana and two men led him to an area behind the apartments while demanding he take his money out.
When he refused, the men held the teen down and began searching for the $46 in his pocket while beating him. At one point, the teen said they pulled a gun on him and hit him. The men reportedly took the money from him.
A witness in the area said she heard screaming that night and saw three men attacking the teen.
It remains unknown who the other attackers were, but the teen identified Reeves as the attacker from a photo lineup. Detectives also linked the phone number used to organize the drug deal belonging to Reeves.
During the investigation, police found Reeves at the apartment with other people. He declined any involvement in attacking the teenager.
Police submitted their case to the prosecutor’s office and recently obtained the warrant for his arrest.
On Wednesday, an officer spotted Reeves’ car and pulled him over near 3rd Street and Holmes Avenue. Knowing Reeves usually carry a gun, officers blocked off the area and took him into custody.
As police searched Reeves, officers found 1.4 grams of heroin and 10 oxycodone pills. Reeves claimed to have a prescription for the pills, but a check of the Idaho Prescription Monitoring Program had no prescriptions filled in his name.
Reeves was also charged with two felony counts of possession of a controlled substance.
He remains held in the Bonneville County Jail on a total of $90,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 7.