2 Men Charged In Uptown Robberies

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Two men from Minneapolis were charged Friday in Hennepin County District Court in connection with the recent string of violent robberies in the Uptown area.

Joseph Frederick Tucker, 21, and Michael Boyce, 19, have each been charged with first-degree aggravated robbery and third-degree assault.

According to a criminal complaint, Boyce and Tucker assaulted a male who had parked his car on the 2500 block of Pillsbury Avenue South and was heading to an apartment on May 11. Boyce is accused of punching the man three or four times while Tucker joined in on the assault. The complaint states Boyce told Tucker to "get his wallet."

In fear of his life, the victim pulled out a pistol that he has a permit for and fired it three or four times, and Tucker and Boyce fled the scene.

Boyce was arrested Wednesday in connection with an April 28 robbery where a man was walking alone at night in the 2600 block of Colfax Avenue South. The man was punched, knocked to the ground and kicked unconscious before being robbed.

Both men have a criminal past of robbery in burglary with incidents in 2008 and 2009, according to the complaint.

If convicted on both offenses, Tucker and Boyce face a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and/or $45,000 in fines.