Officers arrive with tactical gear during their investigation Wednesday into a report of an armed robbery in Norridgewock. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel file
SKOWHEGAN — One of the suspects in Wednesday’s armed robbery in Norridgewock told police she knew the victim and was forced by the other suspects to help them.
Even so, her role in the incident last week and the suspects’ motive remain unclear.
Zayd Issah, 29, left, Alexandra L. Goards, 37, and Yavier Coralin, 37, have been arrested in connection with an armed robbery Wednesday in Norridgewock. Somerset County Sheriff’s Office photos
The details of the incident, which prompted an hourslong search involving several law enforcement agencies, come from a police affidavit filed in Somerset County Superior Court. The three suspects arrested last week made their initial court appearances on Friday.
All three of the suspects are facing charges of robbery and theft by unauthorized taking, in addition to other charges stemming from the incident, according to court records.
Alexandra L. Goards, 37, of Waterville and the 64-year-old victim both told police that they knew each other, Detective Wilfred Dodge of the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office wrote in the affidavit.
The Morning Sentinel does not identify alleged victims of crimes without their consent.
Goards told police that when she pulled into the victim’s driveway Wednesday morning on Airport Road in Norridgewock, the other two suspects were waiting there, Dodge wrote.
The two suspects — now identified as Zaydi F. Issah, 29, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Yavier Coralin, 37, of Waterbury, Connecticut — entered Goards’ vehicle and made her drive up to the house, Dodge wrote. One held a gun to her head, Goards told investigators.
Issah and Coralin then assaulted the victim and took $2,500 to $3,000, Dodge wrote.
A neighbor broke Goards’ vehicle’s windshield as the trio tried to leave, so the suspects tried to leave in another vehicle but were unsuccessful and fled into the woods, Dodge wrote.
Goards’ role in the assault and robbery was unclear. She told police she hid in a closet because the other suspects had a gun, but the victim said Goards “just stood there,” according to the affidavit.
After Issah and Coralin ran into the woods, Goards told investigators she followed them because “people at the house were accusing her of setting them up,” Dodge wrote.
A Skowhegan police officer and vehicle are staged in the parking lot of Mill Stream Elementary School during a lockout of the school Wednesday in Norridgewock, following a report of an armed robbery. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel file
The victim told investigators said Goards said “wait for me” before she ran away with Issah and Coralin, Dodge wrote.
Issah and Coralin were found several hours later with around $2,000 and a small bag containing tan powder, Dodge wrote. Goards was located shortly after the incident was reported, authorities said last week.
The search for Issah and Coralin lasted nearly five hours and led to lockout and shelter-in-place orders at area schools, businesses and offices, Sheriff Dale Lancaster said last week. State Police aircraft and tactical teams, along with several other agencies, assisted the Sheriff’s Office in the search, according to Lancaster.
In addition to the charges of robbery and theft, Coralin is facing charges of unlawful possession of scheduled drugs, assault and failure to give correct name; Issah is facing charges of unlawful possession of scheduled drugs and assault; and Goards is facing a charge of aggravated trafficking of scheduled drugs.
The suspects initially were not cooperating in identifying themselves, Sheriff Dale Lancaster said following their arrests on Wednesday. Coralin originally gave investigators a false name and date of birth, Dodge wrote in the affidavit.
Lancaster provided two similar spellings of Coralin’s last name to the Morning Sentinel and said he has multiple aliases. Issah’s first name is listed as Zaydi on court records, but Zayd on jail booking records.
Coralin, Goards and Issah are due back in court on Jan. 24.
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