Trials ordered for 2 suspects in alleged robbery, kidnap scheme

In all, 3 suspects are headed for trial in alleged crime involving personal ad placed on Craigslist

Two of three suspects in an alleged Craigslist-related kidnapand-robbery scheme that unfolded in Lansdale earlier this year are both headed for trial, joining the third suspect, who waived her preliminary hearing last month.

Gabrielle Alexandra Mountz, 23, of the 1500 block of North Redfield Street in Philadelphia, and Marquis Lamar Smith, 25, of the 6700 block of Lebanon Avenue in Philadelphia, appeared in police custody before Lansdale District Judge Edward Levine for preliminary hearings, at the culmination of which Levine held for trial numerous criminal counts filed against both.

Mountz was ordered to stand trial on first-degree felony counts of robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery, as well as additional felony and misdemeanor conspiracy charges and other offenses. Prosecutors withdrew an attempted aggravated assault charge, and Levine dismissed felony counts of attempted kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.

Smith, meanwhile, had felony counts of robbery, conspiracy and aggravated assault, along with several other charges, held for charges, while attempted kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping filed against him were tossed as well.

Mountz’s sister, 25-year-old Lara Ashley Mountz, of the 4100 block of School Lane in Drexel Hill, was arrested on April 19 and has already waived her preliminary hearing in the case, sending one count of first-degree felony attempted kidnapping, as well as a variety of felony, misdemeanor and summary conspiracy charges, to Montgomery County court for trial.

Lansdale police have said that Lara Mountz responded to an online ad the victim had posted on Craigslist seeking companionship and arranged via a series of text messages to meet the man at his apartment on the 700 block of North Valley Forge Road.

Mountz, who had gone by the pseudonym “Lala” in her communications with the victim, showed up around 11 p.m. on Jan. 25 in a silver Nissan Altima and parked in the rear of the lot outside the man’s apartment, according to court documents.

The pair met up in the parking lot and began to talk.

During their conversation, according to police, a man and a woman — later identified through investigation as Smith and Gabrielle Mountz — approached them.

Gabrielle Mountz pointed a black handgun at the victim, ordered him to the ground and told him, “You’re coming with us,” an affidavit of probable cause indicates.

The victim managed to get to his feet and run while screaming for help, but Smith caught up to him and held a knife to his neck while Gabrielle Mountz continued to point her gun at him, according to the affidavit.

However, the victim was again able to get free and call for help as the three suspects fled in the Nissan with Lara Mountz behind the wheel, police said.

Officers responding to the 911 call found the victim in “emotional and physical distress,” according to court documents.

Investigators determined that Lara Mountz saw the victim’s Craigslist ad and told her sister about it, and it was Gabrielle Mountz who “developed a plan to rob (the victim) of his money and solicited Smith to assist ... Smith brought an unidentified firearm with him to use with (Gabrielle) Mountz,” court documents state.

Lara Mountz, who is behind bars at MCCF in lieu of $90,000 cash bail, is due to be formally arraigned in county court on July 5.

Gabrielle Mountz is being held on $50,000 cash bail, and Smith on $99,000 cash bail; both are scheduled to be formally arraigned on Aug. 2.