Lang
4/18/21
An Iowa City man faces charges that he tried to rob an acquaintance, at one point arming himself with a hammer.
25-year-old Jacob Lester of Benton Drive was booked into the Johnson County Jail just before 3:15am Sunday. Iowa City Police say Lester had visited a South Gilbert Street apartment just after 4:30pm on August 21st, 2020, telling one of the residents that he owed people money, and the victim was going to cover it or Lester would cause him physical harm. Lester then allegedly tried to steal a supplement container full of cash. The two then began struggling for control of the container, with Lester at one point allegedly grabbing a hammer from the apartment and trying to bash the victim with it. The two then struggled for control of the hammer until a neighbor who heard the commotion intervened. Lester then fled the scene, allegedly taking the victim’s phone and throwing it outside the building.
Arriving officers found the phone, but Lester had already left the scene. High definition surveillance video captured the entire robbery incident, and carrier information showed Lester called the alleged victim just before the robbery.
Police identified Letser, who the victim knew as “Jay”, when they saw him outside MERGE on the 100 block of South Dubuque Street just after 2am Sunday. He allegedly gave investigators the fake name “Michael Coleman” and a fake date of birth, but officers recognized him from a distinctive tattoo. Upon Lester’s arrest, an Iowa ID with his real name and date of birth was found in his pocket.
Lester is charged with 1st Degree Robbery and Providing False Identity Information. If convicted on both charges, he faces a maximum of over 25 years in prison.
Lester was also wanted for failing to appear at a June 2020 arraignment on multiple Driving While Barred charges.
