Snapchat video leads to arrests of 3 Lee County teens

BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. Three teens are accused of robbing a man and posting a video to social media showing off what they stole.

The trio can be seen in the Snapchat video with the necklace and hundreds of dollars of cash taken from the victim, along with the gun used in the robbery, Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers said.

Esterno Ortiz, 18, of the 26800 block of Silverado Drive in Bonita Springs, Dakota Wright, 17, of the 1100 block of Corry Street East in Lehigh Acres, and Elvis Guzman, 17, of the 4000 block of 24th Street East in Lehigh Acres, were all arrested Tuesday.

The victim had agreed to meet with Wright around 3 p.m. Monday on Georgia Street to buy a belt, Crime Stoppers said. Wright arrived with Ortiz and Guzman, and the victim got into a car with them.

Guzman stuck the gun in the victim’s ribcage while Wright blocked the car door to prevent the victim from escaping, Crime Stoppers said.

Ortiz took the necklace and money, and the victim was told to get out of the car, according to Crime Stoppers.

Each has a prior criminal history, which helped Lee County Sheriff’s Office detectives quickly track them down.

“These three young men are very familiar faces to law enforcement,” Crime Stoppers Coordinator Trish Routte said. “Each one has proven at very early ages that they have absolutely no regard for the law.”

Ortiz, Wright and Guzman are each facing one count of armed robbery. Guzman and Wright are at the Department of Juvenile Justice, and Ortiz is being held at the Lee County Jail on $100,000 bond.

Guzman was arrested at age 14 on suspicion of felony burglary and grand theft, and he was arrested on suspicion of cocaine possession at age 16. Wright was jailed at 15 on suspicion of burglary, theft and drugs. Ortiz was arrested at age 11 on suspicion of burglary and grand theft.