MILWAUKEE -- Two men accused of involvement in a series of armed robberies across the Milwaukee-area will stand trial.
27-year old Raymond Hartel and 32-year old Vincenzo D'Amato appeared before a Milwaukee County Court Commissioner on Monday morning for a preliminary hearing.
According to a criminal complaint, D'Amato is accused of shoplifting Red Bull from a mini-mart in the Third Ward. Police allege Hartel is accused of coming to D'Amato's aid with a BB gun after an employee at the mini-mart and at least two bystanders tried to restrain him.
Police also allege that, three days later, Hartel pulled a BB gun on a clerk at a shop near 27th and Layton and made off with almost $400.
In a criminal complaint, investigators say Hartel was spotted in his mother's vehicle seven days after the second robbery and led them on a chase.
On Monday morning in court, Milwaukee Police Detective Edmund Fitting said Hartel ended up crashing into a vehicle with a family of four inside. The BB gun was recovered in Hartel's car after he was arrested.
Hartel and D'Amato are also accused of involvement in a series of armed robberies spanning both Ozaukee and Washington Counties.
Online court records shows charges filed against both men in Ozaukee County.
No charges have been filed in Washington County yet, according to online court records.
