3 more charged in sex ruse, robbery

Two are female, 15 and 18; one is male, 19

By ROBIN FITZGERALD
rfitzgerald@sunherald.com

GULFPORT --

The young women accused of offering sex in exchange for money in a ruse for an armed robbery have been identified as a 15-year-old and an 18-year-old.

Police also have arrested a second man in connection with the holdup Oct. 9 at a Gould Road apartment. Gould Road is off Lorraine Road east of John Ross Road.

The three victims reported they turned down the women's offers and were robbed at gunpoint by several men who entered their apartment.

Police identified the young women as Nicole Beckman, 18, of Switzer Road in Gulfport and Ashley Nicole Dupree, 15, of Stennis Drive in Biloxi.

Jon Colby Ruiz, one of the alleged gunmen, is 19. His address was listed as Terri Road in Gulfport.

Ruiz and Beckman were taken into custody on Interstate 10 on Thursday by members of the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force. Police said the couple was eastbound near the Louisiana state line when their vehicle was stopped.

Police arrested Dupree at her home earlier this week.

The three were held at the Harrison County jail on multiple counts of armed robbery. Bonds were set at $150,000 each for Ruiz and Beckman and $7,500 for Dupree.

Shortly after the incident police arrested James Michael Magnusen, 21, at a Gould Road apartment. The resident of Spence Street in Pass Christian was charged with three counts of armed robbery. The charges were reduced this week to accessory after the fact and his bond of $75,000 was dropped to $10,000.

However, Magnusen is in custody without bond. Jail records show a probation warrant for convictions of looting and grand larceny.