The Paxton Police Department has apprehended two men from Rantoul in relation to an incident involving an armed robbery and the aggravated battery of an 18-year-old, which occurred in April.

According to WCIA’s affiliate, the Ford County Chronicle, 26-year-old Nickolas J. Padilla and 24-year-old Pedro Mendoza were both arrested by Paxton Police in May. They face charges of conspiracy to commit armed robbery and aggravated battery. These arrests followed an investigation into an alleged armed robbery and aggravated battery that reportedly happened around 7:20 p.m. on April 18 on the 400 block of W Orleans St.

Upon arriving at the scene, officers spoke with an 18-year-old victim who reported that three men had attacked him, with one of them hitting him with a baseball bat. The assailants allegedly stole his bag, which contained an ounce of cannabis, a cannabis grinder, medication, and his mobile phone.

The victim also provided a description of the attackers’ vehicle, plus a partial license plate number. With the use of Flock Safety, automated license-plate-reading cameras and several local business cameras, police located two of the three men involved.

Padilla was arrested by Paxton Police at the Champaign County Courthouse in Urbana as he arrived there for an appointment at around 11:02 a.m. on May 1. They then arrested Mendoza at the Champaign County Courthouse, as he was also arriving there for an appointment at around 10:44 a.m. on May 5.