Gunfire During Drug Ripoff In Deltona Nets Five Arrests

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Deltona, FL-Deputies arrested five people after a guns were fired during a drug ripoff Friday afternoon.  Deputies also recovered a gun that had been stolen from a home in DeLand.

VCSO spokesman Andrew Gant said the robbery happened just before 1 PM near the intersection of Layton Avenue and North Midland Drive in Deltona. 24-year-old Victor Martinez told deputies he was buying marijuana and had his money stolen.

Later he admitted he was actually selling the drugs and had ended up driving to meet with a car of four people: 14-year-old Korey Hill , 15-year-old Xavier Melendez, 19-year-old Tristan Burgess, all of Deltona, and 18-year-old Corey Williams Jr. of DeBary.

The group was going to do the deal at Firefighters Memorial Park, but Martinez decided there were too many people there. The cars drove a couple of blocks away and park. Martinez said Melendez got into his car to make the deal and Williams walked to the car's window with a gun and asked, "What else you got in there?"

Martinez says he drove off at that point and Melendez jumped out. That's when Williams fired two shots.

In interviews with investigators, Williams denied firing the gun. A deputy tested all the suspects for gunshot residue and Williams' test was positive. He then admitted to firing the gun.

A list of the defendants and the charges follows:

Martinez: Use of a two-way communications device to commit a felony, sale and delivery of narcotics, providing false information to law enforcement, possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana with intent to sell and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Williams: Armed robbery, aggravated assault and grand theft of a firearm.

Burgess: Principal to armed robbery and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana.

Melendez: Principal to armed robbery and use of a two-way communications device to commit a felony.

Hill: Principal to armed robbery.

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