Columbia teens charged after robbing, beating up food deliveryman, deputies say

Lexington County deputies arrested three Columbia teens accused of robbing a food deliveryman back in August.

Lexington County Sheriff’s Department arrested Jaylon Lamont Veerapen, 18, and charged him with armed robbery, kidnapping and criminal conspiracy. Two minors were also arrested in the case, but their names were not released because they are under 18, the department said.

“Based on information detectives confirmed in video evidence in the case, the teens approached a food delivery driver’s car and held him at gunpoint in the 3500 block of Fernandina Road Aug. 7,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said in a release. “Then they beat him up just off camera before leaving the scene.”

The three teens were arrested Wednesday, the sheriff’s department said in a Friday release.

This story was originally published November 6, 2021 at 8:15 AM.

Chris Trainor

The State

Chris Trainor is a retail reporter for The State and has been working for newspapers in South Carolina for more than 21 years, including previous stops at the (Greenwood) Index-Journal and the (Columbia) Free Times. He is the winner of a host of South Carolina Press Association awards, including honors in column writing, government beat reporting, profile writing, food writing, business beat reporting, election coverage, social media and more.