DES MOINES — An Iowa man who was already facing felony charges for a violent March assault is back behind bars after allegedly carrying out a string of armed robberies at a Des Moines liquor store throughout April.
Darius Euvonte Stogner, 29, was arrested Wednesday evening following a targeted investigation by the Des Moines Police Department into multiple overnight heists in the 3800 block of Hubbell Avenue.
The investigation centered on a liquor store that had been robbed three times since April 9, with the most recent incident occurring just after midnight on April 29. During each robbery, the suspect was reported to be armed with a handgun. In two of the three encounters, store clerks reported that the suspect held the firearm to their heads while demanding cash from the register.
A breakthrough in the case came early Wednesday morning when a DMPD K-9 unit successfully tracked the suspect’s trail from the scene of the latest robbery to a building at a nearby apartment complex. This lead allowed detectives to secure a search warrant for an apartment in the 3500 block of East Douglas Avenue, which was executed Wednesday afternoon. During the search, officers recovered a handgun and other evidence linking Stogner to the serial robberies.
Stogner was already known to local authorities after being arrested in connection with a “violent assault” that occurred at the Lauridsen Skatepark on March 19. That incident left a victim with severe injuries and led to felony charges for Stogner and another suspect.
Following the raid on his apartment, Stogner (pictured at top) was booked into the Polk County Jail at approximately 7:09 p.m. Wednesday evening. He now faces three counts of first-degree robbery, dominion or control of a firearm by a felon, and a misdemeanor charge for possession of marijuana. Records indicate he is currently being held without bail on the robbery charges, with an additional $10,000 bond set for a separate case.