In the middle of the night of December 2–3, 2025, officers received a report of a robbery occurring in a parking area in north Rochester, County of Olmsted. Three young males (Victim #1, Victim #2, and Victim #3) reported that they had been robbed by their acquaintances, Nicklas Jordan Cheng and Aizeah Adrian Martinez. Victim #1 said that he had been exchanging messages with Cheng, offering to sell him some clothing. Cheng directed him to meet at an address near North Broadway. All three victims shared a ride to the meeting location.
Victim #1 sat in the back seat. Victim #2 drove. And Victim #3 sat in the front passenger seat. When they arrived, Cheng approached on foot and got in the left rear seat, next to Victim #1. Moments later, the right rear door opened, and Martinez got in the car on the other side of Victim #1. Cheng and Martinez then drew pistols and demanded that Victim #1 give them the clothing for free. After taking the clothes, they demanded all three victims’ cell phones and shoes so that they could neither call police nor pursue on foot.
Once all three victims had surrendered their phones, Cheng and Martinez got out of the car. Martinez turned back and told the victims that, if any of them called police, he would kill them. Cheng and Martinez then left the scene. On December 15th, detectives searched Cheng’s and Martinez’s homes pursuant to a search warrant. At Martinez’s house, they found a.22 caliber pistol. They also found several articles of clothing that matched the description given by the victims. Officers arrested both Cheng and Martinez.
They were separately read their rights and interviewed: Martinez initially denied involvement but then said that Cheng had set up the robbery. He acknowledged that the stolen goods would be found at his house. Cheng admitted setting up the robbery after being pressured to do so by Martinez. He expressed regret and wished he had never done it. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: YOU MUST APPEAR FOR EVERY COURT HEARING REGARDING THIS CASE. FAILURE TO APPEAR FOR COURT IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE AND MAY RESULT IN ADDITIONAL CRIMINAL CHARGES BEING IMPOSED AND PUNISHED AS PROVIDED IN MINNESOTA STATUTES SECTION 609.49.
