Cape Coral man arrested as third suspect in Venice home invasion plot

A Cape Coral man is one of three suspects that have been arrested in connection with an armed home invasion in Venice that occurred on Sept. 23, . Frankie Bartolo Mercado Jr., a 43-year-old man out of Cape Coral, was arrested on Tuesday following the home invasion robbery along the 3000 block of Laurel Road East. Previously, two Texas men, Justin Mitchell and Brevaun Williams, were arrested after Venice police said they forced their way into the home, restrained the homeowner, and demanded access to the safes. According to the Venice Police Department, one suspect stole the homeowner's handgun and fired toward a family member who came to help. Police said the person was not struck, and both suspects fled on foot before being apprehended by police with assistance from the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office K-9 unit. Mercado was later identified as an associate of Williams during a follow-up investigation, VPD said. According to police, Mercado's role was to help plan and facilitate the robbery. Police said evidence collected through witness statements, surveillance footage, license plate reader data, and more gave the indication that Mercado helped in planning the targeted robbery, provided information about the victim and residence, supplied equipment used during the crime, and transported the suspects to the area before the crime. According to VPD, Mercado was also familiar with the homeowner through prior business interactions, and he shared information about the home with Williams and Mitchell. Mercado is facing charges of home invasion robbery with a weapon, kidnapping (inflict bodily harm or terrorize victim), burglary with battery (armed), and aggravated assault. VPD said all suspects have been accounted for and asked anyone with information related to the investigation to contact the department at (941)486-2444 and reference case number VPD26002104. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment, and original programming on your TV.