By GRAHAM BROOKS / Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA–Two at–large suspects who allegedly robbed the Country Store in the 8000 block of Shelby County 155 on two different occasions have been apprehended.

On Saturday, Aug. 9, the Country Store in Montevallo was robbed by two Hispanic males, according to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. There was no suspect vehicle description.

Shelby County Sheriff’s investigators began trying to identify the suspects and on Wednesday, Nov. 12, the same Country Store was robbed again by two Hispanic males who left in a green vehicle.

In both robberies the suspects were armed with handguns. There were no injuries in either robbery, but Sheriff’s investigators associated the two robberies and began trying to locate the suspect vehicle.

The Montevallo Police Department was also investigating a number of similar armed robberies within their jurisdiction and on Sunday, Nov. 16, Montevallo police officers located a vehicle matching the description of the getaway car and detained two Hispanic male occupants. The occupants confessed to multiple robberies, including the two at the Country Store.

28-year-old Jose Danilo Revia Sarmiento and 48-year-old Isidro Castro Mejia, both residents of Montevallo, were arrested and booked at the Shelby County Jail on Sunday, Nov. 16.

Sarmiento was charged with two counts of first-degree robbery for the two Country Store robberies. Each count carries a bond of $60,000.

Mejia was charged with one count of first-degree robbery for the second Country Store robbery. His bond is $60,000.

First-degree robbery is a Class A felony and carries a maximum charge of life in prison if convicted.