Man accused in Minnetonka carjacking now charged in 9 other thefts

By KSTP

Romell Roshode Lewis (Courtesy of City of Minnetonka)

A Minneapolis man who was arrested last month in connection to a carjacking caught on camera is now facing charges in connection to nine other cases.

Romell Roshode Lewis, 21, was charged with carjacking, aggravated robbery and burglary last month after allegedly assaulting a woman and her teenage son in their driveway in Minnetonka while others stole her SUV. A neighbor’s security camera captured the incident.

Tuesday, Hennepin County prosecutors filed another burglary charge and eight theft charges against him for several incidents across the county from July through August.

“Mr. Lewis appears responsible for a significant number of recent high-end motor vehicle thefts from the west metro,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a prepared statement. “While no weapons were involved, these were brazen incidents, any of which could have turned violent if an unsuspecting homeowner happened upon Mr. Lewis, like happened in Minnetonka on August 17 when a homeowner and her son were assaulted. These additional charges were possible because of the hard work and significant collaboration between our attorneys and local law enforcement.”

Three of the incidents happened in a span of five days in early August and involved cars stolen right from victims’ homes in Edina. Other cases involved purses and credit cards stolen out of cars and used at various stores.

Lewis is scheduled to make another court appearance on all 12 of the charges on Monday. Carjacking, aggravated robbery and first-degree burglary each carry penalties of up to 20 years in prison, while each of the theft charges are punishable by up to five years in jail.