Joseph Keith Fender

MOULTRIE, Ga. — A fourth suspect in a May 8 assault, kidnapping and robbery of a Moultrie man was arrested on Friday morning at a Sylvester Drive residence.

Joseph Keith “Jody” Fender, 35, joins two other men and a woman who also are accused of luring Jose Manuel Jimenez to an Omega residence where, the victim told police, he was pistol whipped.

Jimenez, of the 2200 block of Highway 133 North, told police that he arrived at about 3 a.m. to the 5278A U.S. Hwy. 319 N. residence of Justin Levin Thornton, 28, and Alexis Danielle Griffin, 26.

Griffin came to the passenger-side window of Jiminez’s Ford F-250 pickup truck, police said, and while he was distracted, Fender, Thornton and Clayton Bradley Zimmerman, 37, reportedly pulled Jimenez out of the truck, according to the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office.

Jimenez reported being struck with a pistol as well being hit with fists and kicks to his body after his assailants threw him to the ground.

The group took the money from Jimenez’s pockets, then bound him and searched his truck for additional loot.

A short time later the assailants freed Jimenez, put him back in the truck and told him to leave, police said. Jimenez told police that he knows Griffin, but not the three men involved in the attack.

The robbery netted less than $200, police said.

Fender, of 522 24th St. S.E. Apt. 1, has been charged with false imprisonment, kidnapping, entering motor vehicle with intent to commit felony, armed robbery, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, conspiracy to commit a crime and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon or first-time probationer.

Griffin and Thornton were arrested on May 8, and police took Zimmerman, 1711 Seventh St. S.E., into custody the following day, with all initially charged with a single count of armed robbery.

Last week additional charges were filed against the three, including criminal gang activity, kidnapping, false imprisonment, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime — all felonies.

Police also charged Griffin and Zimmerman with one felony county each of conspiracy to commit a crime.

Georgia law defines a “criminal street gang” as an organization or group of three or more people who engage in certain crimes to include violence, or possession or use of a weapon while engaged in criminal activity.