Man accused of robbing store with large knife, warrant says

An Oak Ridge man remained jailed on Friday on a charge that he robbed the Tienda Nony Marketplace on Bus Terminal Road with a large knife on Monday afternoon, authorities said.

Yorlin Alverez Castillo, 23, is accused of robbing the store at about 1:06 p.m. Monday, according to an arrest warrant filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court.

A store employee told police that she had her 11-year-old son at work with her at the time, and the boy was behind the counter with her. Castillo allegedly came in the front door armed with a large knife, a deadly weapon, “placing the victims in fear,” Oak Ridge Police Department Detective William Weaver wrote in the warrant.

The employee told Weaver that Castillo’s face was covered with a bandana, and he wore a gray sweatshirt and sweat pants.

“He went up to the counter and stated, ‘It’s a robbery,'” the warrant said. “The victim stated, ‘Yorlin, don’t do this, my son is here.'”

According to the warrant, Castillo then asked the victim not to call him by his name, and he told her not to call the police because he had people outside watching the store.

The victim allegedly gave Castillo about $2,003 from the cash register, and he fled out the back door of the store.

“The victim is familiar with the suspect because he cashes his paychecks every week and had just cashed his paycheck yesterday at the store,” the warrant said. “She is very familiar with him.”

Weaver said Castillo was located at his home in an apartment on Hunter Circle at about 1:40 p.m. Monday, and he was detained.

A search of his home about three hours later, after a search warrant was obtained, allegedly found $473 in his wallet and $1,258 inside a guitar in his bedroom closet, according to the warrant. A total of $1,731 was recovered, the warrant said.

Castillo faces one aggravated robbery charge. His bond has been set at $75,000.

Weaver said his investigation included victim statements, positive identification, and recorded video images.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

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