Phoenix, AZ — Court documents reveal that a 29-year-old Arizona man accused of armed robberies targeting exotic dancers and the grisly 2023 murder of one of those victims rejected multiple plea deals, some of which would have drastically reduced his prison sentence.
Young Repeatedly Reversed Course on Plea Agreements
Cudjoe Young, once described by attorneys as an aspiring pro football player, was first charged in connection with robberies in late 2020. According to a joint pretrial statement reviewed by NBC News, Young was offered several plea bargains — all of which he initially rejected, some of which he later reconsidered, only to turn them down again at the final moment.
“With an agreement reached we asked [the judge] to fit us in for a change of plea after lunch,” the document reads.
“Defendant again rejected the plea.”
The earliest offer in 2021 would have required Young to plead guilty to disorderly conduct, serve 2½ years in prison, and be placed on probation. Weeks after declining, Young told prosecutors he wanted the deal, but once in court, he reversed himself again and rejected it.
Other offers included:
- A reduction to attempted armed robbery with a max sentence of 3½ years
- A final offer in December 2024: 7½ years in exchange for two aggravated assault pleas
Ultimately, Young faces a maximum sentence of 36 years if convicted on all armed robbery and attempted robbery charges.
Murder Case of Mercedes Vega Looms Over Robbery Charges
Young is also one of three defendants in the murder of 22-year-old Mercedes Vega, one of the robbery victims. On April 17, 2023, Vega was found burned, beaten, and shot in the back of a Chevrolet Malibu abandoned along Interstate 10 near Tonopah — just one day before she was set to testify in one of Young’s pending cases.
“It has been almost five years since the crimes alleged in this case and justice has been continually denied,” wrote the prosecutor in a motion filed last week.
Vega’s Family Believes She Was Silenced
According to Vega’s mother, Erika Pillsbury, her daughter was scheduled to appear at a court hearing related to the robbery the day after she was killed. The family believes the murder was an intentional act to prevent her from testifying.
Vega had previously moved from Phoenix to Tempe, thinking it would be safer, but was abducted from her new home’s parking garage on the night of April 16. She was found dead hours later.
A medical examiner listed the cause of death as “conflagration, blunt force, and ballistic injuries,” and noted the presence of bleach in her throat, according to the autopsy report.
Probable Links to Co-Defendants and Out-of-State Travel
Authorities allege that Young orchestrated the murder with two co-defendants, Sencere Hayes and Jared Gray. Investigators say:
- Young paid two individuals to pick up the Chevrolet Malibu, used to dispose of Vega’s body
- He may have purchased plane tickets for Hayes and Gray to fly from Tennessee to Arizona
- Fingerprints of both co-defendants were found in the Malibu and Vega’s car
Both Hayes and Young have pleaded not guilty. Gray has not yet been arraigned.
Delays, Attorney Changes, and Allegations of Manipulation
The dual robbery cases — stemming from incidents between November 2019 and November 2020 involving dancers from Le Girls, a Phoenix strip club — have experienced multiple delays. In each case, the masked suspect targeted women leaving work late at night.
Young is charged in two of the cases, including Vega’s. No suspect was identified in the third.
Recently, Young asked to change attorneys, delaying trial yet again. Prosecutors accused him of “a calculated effort to manipulate the court into postponing his trial.” His current lawyer, Aaron Reed, declined to comment, stating the previous plea offers came before he joined the defense.
Family Says Justice Is Long Overdue
Vega’s parents continue to speak out, saying their daughter might still be alive if the robbery trials hadn’t been repeatedly postponed and if better protections had been in place while she awaited trial.
What’s your opinion on the repeated plea reversals and delayed justice in this case? Share your thoughts below.
