Charges: Man Robs Classmate With Autism In Fake Drug Deal
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A Burnsville man is facing charges after selling a classmate with high-functioning autism fake marijuana and stealing his money.
Zakaria Ramadan Elmi, 18, is facing one count of simple robbery and one count of theft.
According to the criminal complaint, on the afternoon of March 28 police responded to a call of a robbery in Burnsville.
Upon arrival, the victim was found bleeding from his nose and had a large abrasion on his left knee.
The victim's mother arrived on the scene shortly after police were called. She spoke with law enforcement, telling them her son had a form of high-functioning autism.
The report states that the victim's mother told police she had dropped him off at a local restaurant to meet a friend. She suspected he was going to buy pot from the friend, as he occasionally used it.
She gave him cash just before dropping him off.
After getting permission from his mother, police spoke with the victim who confirmed he had arranged to meet a friend he knew he knew from school, late identified as Elmi, to purchase pot from him.
The report states that after being dropped off the victim walked to a nearby park and met Elmi. The victim gave Elmi money and Elmi gave him what appeared to be marijuana.
Elmi then got into a car driven by another man, later identified as 18-year-old Jacob Dennis Wicklander-Loger.
The two began to drive off when the victim noticed the marijuana was fake.
According to the complaint, the victim reached into an open window of the vehicle to attempt to get his money back. Elmi rolled up the window, catching the victim's arm and dragging him across the parking lot. Wicklander-Loger then stopped the car, exited and punched the victim in the nose, which was later confirmed broken and fractured.
A witness told officers the two then drove off.
Officers later spoke with Elmi who said the victim had contacted him on Facebook to purchase marijuana. Elmi told police Wicklander-Loger had told him to give him "fake stuff" so they could then take his money.
Elmi admitted to meeting with the victim, taking his money and seeing him drug by the car. He denied that Wicklander-Loger had hit the victim in the face.
The complaint states that police also talked to Wicklander-Loger, who claimed it was Elmi's plan to give the victim fake marijuana. He said he saw Elmi take the money and admitted to dragging the victim at least 30 feet. He also admitted to hitting him in the face.
If found guilty, Elmi faces up to 15 years in prison, $30,000 in fines or both.
