One caught, one sought in Fayetteville sweepstakes robbery

Investigators said that Gregory James Alexander Burgess, 27, and Lonnel Deangelo McRae, 25, used handguns to rob Little Vegas SweepStakes City, 2897 Owen Drive, around 6:30 a.m. June 20.

Officers following up on leads Thursday saw McRae running out of the back of an East Orange Street home. They arrested him after a short foot chase.

McRae was charged with two counts each of robbery with a dangerous weapon, conspiracy and second-degree kidnapping. He was placed in the Cumberland County Detention Center under an $81,500 secured bond.

Burgess, whose last known address is on Wayside Drive in Fayetteville, is wanted on the same charges. He is 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs about 189 pounds. He has a light complexion, close-cut hair and short facial hair.

Anyone with information about Burgess' whereabouts is asked to contact the Fayetteville Police Department at 910-433-1856 or Crime Stoppers at 910-483-8477.

Both McRae and Burgess have served prison time on armed robbery charges, according to state Division of Adult Correction records.

Burgess was convicted of robbery with a dangerous weapon and four other charges in 2005. He had eight months tacked on to his sentence after he was convicted of selling drugs while in prison, finally being released in August 2009.

McRae served nearly three years in prison for 2007 convictions for conspiracy to commit armed robbery and possession of a firearm by a felon, records show. He was behind bars for another nine months for violating his parole. As well, he has previous convictions for break-ins and assaulting a government employee with a dangerous weapon.