St. Paul man sentenced for role in Prior Lake robbery; trial set for other suspect

Prior Lake American

A St. Paul man was sentenced on Dec. 20 to 366 days in prison for his role in a 2017 Prior Lake robbery.

Taariq Aqeel Jackson-Bey, 26, pleaded guilty to first-degree aggravated robbery and receiving stolen property. Kidnapping, simple robbery and first-degree burglary charges were dismissed.

Another suspect in the case, Columbia Heights resident Justice Larae Lee Baskins, 24, faces a jury trial on Jan. 29 in connection with the robbery. She is charged with first-degree aggravated robbery, simple robbery and first-degree burglary.

According to court documents, the victim was at Mystic Lake Casino Hotel on Feb. 16, 2017, where he met Baskins, who agreed to go with him to his home in Prior Lake. The victim told police that while at his home, Baskins was texting someone and asked him for his home address.

He went upstairs, and Baskins followed. The victim then said he saw a man with a gun in the hallway, later identified as Jackson-Bey. Jackson-Bey allegedly told the victim and Baskins to get in the bathroom. He ordered the victim to his knees and asked where credit cards and cash were. He also removed a watch and necklace the victim was wearing.

Jackson-Bey then asked the victim where his guns were, to which Baskins allegedly responded, “He already gave you his cash.” Baskins and Jackson-Bey then left the home.

The victim told police an Xbox, subwoofer speakers, a television and cash were missing after the suspects left. He said he was afraid to call the police because the suspects told him he would be killed if he did.

Credit cards stolen from the victim were later used in St. Paul for ATM withdrawals totaling $600. Surveillance footage from Mystic Lake Casino Hotel showed Baskins talking to Jackson-Bey and another acquaintance who was not charged in the robbery before leaving with the victim around 2:30 a.m. on Feb. 17, 2017.

Jackson-Bey was arrested in April 2017. A search warrant for his cellphone found photographs of the victim’s watch and television. His web history showed he had attempted to sell the watch on Craigslist. Another picture on the phone showed Jackson-Bey and Baskins with another woman.

Baskins faces up to 25 years in prison and a $35,000 fine for the first-degree aggravated robbery charge, up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine for the simple robbery charge and up to 20 years in prison and a $35,000 fine for the first-degree burglary charge.