Two men convicted in ‘audacious’ robbery spree in Merced County

Two Merced County men were found guilty on Thursday of a robbery spree prosecutors described as “violent” and “audacious.”

Surveillance video helped authorities identify Gregory Lowery, 31, and Bryan Green, 28, who robbed two stores in Merced and one in Winton in April 2016, according to prosecutors.

A Merced County jury found them both guilty of five counts, including several counts of second-degree robbery and for being felons in possession of firearms.

The case had a significant amount of evidence, including the video footage and a confession from Lowery, according to Matthew Martinez, the deputy district attorney who prosecuted the case.

“I don’t think I’ve seen a more audacious crime. Their demeanor in the video is so matter-of-fact,” he told the Sun-Star. “The defendants committed all of the robberies in broad daylight. At least one didn’t even cover his face.”

The first robbery occurred about 12:30 p.m. April 11, 2016, on Main Street in Merced. The two men walked into The K&K Oriental Market armed with handguns and demanded money from the clerks before fleeing with the cash, according to investigators.

About 15 minutes later, the men did the same thing at the U-Save Market in the 1800 block of Yosemite Parkway. When officers arrived at the scene, they were able to use surveillance video to identify the suspects, investigators said.

About an hour later, police received a similar robbery report out of Winton, where the Merced County Sheriff’s Office also identified Lowery and Green as the suspects.

The men used the money they stole to buy a car about a block away from the scene of the second robbery, according to Martinez. They pointed guns at the heads of each store clerk, and Lowery showed no remorse during his taped confession, according to Martinez.

The defense attorney could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday.

Sentencing is set for Sept. 28.

Both men remain in custody in Merced County.

This story was originally published August 31, 2017 at 6:03 PM with the headline "Two men convicted in ‘audacious’ robbery spree in Merced County."