A Rochester man is facing multiple charges after allegedly participating in an armed robbery that occurred at Northern Heights Apartments on May 1, 2026.
Officers responded to the scene after the victim reported that he was attacked while attempting to sell a pair of shoes and shorts.
Dontrell Deanthony Whiteside, 18, of Rochester, faces charges of aiding and abetting first-degree aggravated robbery, aiding and abetting 2nd-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, and aiding and abetting second-degree riot while armed with a dangerous weapon. The complaint details that the victim was approached by two men, one of whom held him from behind while the other brandished a gun and demanded the items he was selling.
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According to the complaint, the victim described the gun as having both a beam and a flashlight attached. He complied with the demands and handed over the shoes, valued at $200, and the shorts, valued at $60. Witnesses reported seeing four males involved in the robbery, and surveillance footage captured a black Toyota Camry entering the parking lot just before the suspects entered the building.
Detectives later identified one of the suspects as Aflah Abdikadir Cisman through photographs and cell phone data. A search warrant was executed at Cisman’s residence, where clothing matching that worn during the robbery was found, along with the victim’s stolen shorts. Videos on Cisman’s phone showed him with a handgun similar to the one used in the robbery, further linking him to the crime.
Whiteside is currently in custody. A court date has not yet been set.
