Facebook video leads to rape charges against three Fayetteville men

James Haywood III, 21, of Ladyslipper Drive, Jason Tyquan Hammonds, 18, of Carbine Street, and Brandon McKenzie, 17, of Hardwick Lane, were each charged with first-degree forcible rape, robbery with a dangerous weapons, first-degree kidnapping and felony conspiracy. Hammonds and McKenzie also were charged with first-degree forcible sex offense, and Hammonds also faces a charge of possession of a firearm by a felon.

The woman posted a Facebook video on Friday, saying she had placed an online ad seeking companionship. A man contacted her on Nov. 2 and invited her to a home on Carbine Street, where three men confronted her with guns, took all of her money, forced her to undress and made her perform sex acts, according to her video.

The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office learned of the Facebook video through Fayetteville police, investigated over the weekend and was able to arrest the three men on Sunday.

Devonte Hammonds, brother of Tyquan Hammonds, said the incident did not happen the way authorities said. He claims the invitation to the home on Carbine Street was not a trap.

"If you got raped, why didn't you go straight to the police? Why did you wait and put it online," he questioned. "I know for sure my brother didn't rape her."

Haywood was being held Monday in the Cumberland County jail under a $1.5 million bond, while Hammonds and McKenzie were being held under $2 million bonds.

Investigators said they fear the men may have attacked other women in a similar fashion, and they asked anyone with information on other incidents to call the sheriff's office at 910-323-1500.