Nine charged, one sought in series of armed robberies
Nine people have been arrested and one man is wanted in connection with a series of armed robberies across Wayne County and in Goldsboro, Princeton and Wilson.
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The arrests were a result of a investigation by a joint task force of the Wayne County Sheriff's Office and Goldsboro Police Department.
The robbers first targeted Dollar General Stores, then moved onto similar stores, restaurants and convenience stores, authorities said. Each robbery was committed by two or three men and women dressed in black, with bandanas partially covering their faces. Often, they forced store clerks to open a safe.
The following people were charged:
- Anthony David Brown, 21, of 406 Quail Drive in Goldsboro: 10 counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon, four counts of second-degree kidnapping and one count each of attempted robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery; held in the Wayne County Detention Center under a secured bond of $1.13 million
- Malcolm Jamal Artis, 20, of 411 Hollowell St. in Goldsboro: four counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon, three counts of second-degree kidnapping, two counts of conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon and one count of aiding and abetting robbery with a dangerous weapon; held in the Wayne County Detention Center under a $465,000 secured bond
- Antonio Deonte Jones, 24, of 215 Booker St. in Pikeville: three counts each of conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon and aiding and abetting a robbery with a dangerous weapon, two counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon and one count of second-degree kidnapping; held in the Wayne County Detention Center under a $450,000.00 secured bond
- Ivory Javaughntae Harris, 18, of 1902 Elton Drive in Goldsboro: five counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon, three counts of conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon and one count each of second-degree kidnapping and attempted common-law robbery; held in the Wayne County Detention Center under a $400,000 secured bond
- Darius Ramon Edwards, 16, of 402 S. Andrews Ave. in Goldsboro: one count each of robbery with a dangerous weapon and second-degree kidnapping; held in the Wayne County Detention Center under a $100,000 secured bond
- Derric Lyneal Dove Jr., 20, of 507 Quail Drive in Goldsboro: two counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon and one count of second-degree kidnapping; held in the Wayne County Detention Center under a $225,000 secured bond
- Brandon Daquan Gatling, 16, of 906 N. Audubon Ave. in Goldsboro: one count each of robbery with a dangerous weapon and second-degree kidnapping; held in the Wayne County Detention Center under a $100,000 secured bond
- Magdalene Patricia Lane, 18, 103 Rachel Drive in Goldsboro: one count of robbery with a dangerous weapon; held in the Johnston County Detention Center under a $50,000 secured bond
- Christopher Lavaughn Jones, 20, of 302 Banks Ave. in Goldsboro: one count of robbery with a dangerous weapon; held in the Johnston County Detention Center under a $50,000 secured bond
Authorities are still searching for Domonic Devarrise Usher, 29, who is wanted on similar charges.
Anyone with information on Usher's whereabouts should call the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office at 919-731-1481 or Wayne County Crimestopers at 919-735-2255. Crime Stoppers pays cash rewards for information leading to arrests in felony cases, and callers never have to identify themselves.
A break in the case came when a citizen got the license plate number of a suspicious vehicle pulling away from the robbery of a Family Dollar store in Princeton, Wayne County Sheriff C.A. Winders said. Deputies set up surveillance at the address linked to the license plate, leading to the first arrests in the case.
"Oftentimes, it is citizens' involvement that gives law enforcement that one little bit of extra information needed to provide closure to an investigation," Winders said in a statement.
The sheriff praised the cooperation of his office and the Goldsboro police. Cracking the case took at least 800 hours of overtime and five weeks of surveillance, he said.
Investigators are looking to see if the suspects might be involved in similar robberies in surrounding counties, Winders said. More charges are pending.
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