FLANDERS, NY — Two people from Farmingville were arrested after an armed robbery in September in Flanders, police said.
According to Southampton Police, on Wednesday, police arrested Demario L. Weston Jr, 22, and Tiana MacDonald, 24. the arrests were made as a result of a multi-agency investigation into the armed robbery that took place at El Quetzal Deli, located at 790 Flanders Road, on Sept. 23 around 12:01 p.m., police said.
Responding officers interviewed an employee at the facility who reported a man entered the building, pointed a gun at her and demanded money, police said. The employee further reported that the man physically assaulted her, striking her with the gun multiple times, before stealing and fleeing with $6,000, police said.
In the months that followed, the Southampton Police Department's detective division, along with assistance from the Suffolk County District Attorney's East End Narcotics Task Force, developed probable cause to locate and arrest Weston Jr., police said.
On Wednesday, Southampton detectives, along with the EEDTF, are using Suffolk County Police
The department's emergency services unit executed a search warrant at a Farmingville residence where they located and arrested Weston Jr., police said.
During the execution of the search warrant, a second person, Macdonald, was subsequently located
was arrested, police said.
According to police, an illegally possessed gun was found, along with a quantity of illegal controlled substances.
Weston was transported to the Southampton Town Police Department, where he was charged with two counts of first degree robbery, a B felony. two counts of second-degree robbery, a C felony. one count of second-degree assault, a D felony. and one count of criminal possession of a firearm. an E felony, all related to the 2024 deli robbery, police said.
During the execution of the search warrant, several conditions were met that led to additional charges for Weston, police said.
Those conditions included possession of an illegally possessed firearm and a quantity of illegal drugs, all with a child present in the residence, police said. Weston was additionally charged with three counts of third-degree possession of a controlled substance, a B felony. two counts of seventh-degree possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor; one count of fourth-degree drug possession, a felony C. one count of second-degree criminal use of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a C felony; and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor, police said.
Macdonald was arrested and charged with three counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a B felony. two counts of seventh-degree possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor; one count of fourth-degree drug possession, a felony C. one count of second-degree criminal use of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor. two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a C felony. and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor, police said.
Both parties were processed and booked into the Southampton Town Police Department, police said.
