Andres Tremols Tapanes has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for Robbery with a Firearm while Wearing a Hood, Mask, or Other Device to Conceal Identity and 30 years in prison for Aggravated Battery on a Person 65 Years of Age or Older. The sentences are to run concurrently.
Tapanes was convicted in April following a jury trial in Collier County. Assistant State Attorneys Laura Mason and James Stewart prosecuted the case.
On November 21, 2020, just before 7 p.m., deputies with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, were dispatched to a residence in Golden Gate, in reference to a robbery in progress.
Video surveillance shows two subjects wearing masks and gloves, trying to gain entry at the front door, then running behind the residence. From that point, things happened very quickly. One victim was punched, forced onto the ground, and had zip ties placed on their wrists and ankles to prevent them from moving. Another victim was ordered to the ground at gunpoint. Money was then stolen from a safe in the home.
The suspects fled on foot to a nearby shopping plaza. Deputies, K-9 Officers, and aviation units conducted a search. While neither suspect was located that night, a later search of the area led to the discovery of a glove that matched a glove worn by one of the suspects.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement did an analysis of the evidence and a CODIS Hit on DNA was received for a swab taken from inside of the glove that led to the identity of Tapanes.
Samantha Syoen – Communications Director, State Attorney’s Office