St. Paul man pleads guilty in staged robbery gone wrong in Isanti County
Jerold Downs pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting second-degree murder Monday as part of a deal dismissing the other charges against him, court records show.
The robbery and shooting happened during the morning of Dec. 13, 2023, in Spencer Brook Township.
Court documents say Saavedra Olivar of Northfield hired three men, including Downs, to rob a "stash house" that contained money and drugs. Olivar said he could get out of debt to a "cartel organization" by staging the robbery.
Olivar, Downs, Abraham Alexander Houle and Jesse Rodrigues entered the house dressed as police officers, charges say. Witnesses told police that one of the men held a gun to the head of someone in the house and attempted to tie him up when shots were fired.
Jose De Jesus Diaz Fernandes died in the shooting.
"At the plea hearing, Downs stated he was '100% responsible' for the actions that led to Mr. Fernandes's death," the Minnesota attorney general's office said. "Downs admitted he participated in the crime, dressed as a police officer, kicked in the front door of the ranch, and fled with his codefendants after the shooting."
Olivar was sentenced in February to 30-and-a-half years in prison for second-degree murder and first-degree burglary. Houle pleaded guilty in May. Rodrigues is set to go to trial in August.
Downs will be sentenced Aug. 4. As part of the plea deal, he is expected to receive more than 30 years in prison, court records show.
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