Oak Ridge Today

Grandfather reports robbery by grandson, knife-wielding suspect

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Anderson County Sheriff Logo

An Anderson County man told deputies he was robbed at knifepoint Wednesday night by his grandson and a second man wearing a green rag over his face and holding a 15-inch-long knife, authorities said.

Deputies responded to a reported robbery in progress on Clear Branch Road, south of Rocky Top, at about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday. When they arrived, resident Genis Hawkins told them he had answered a knock at the door and opened it for his grandson, who asked if he could use Hawkins’ phone. Hawkins said he left the door open and went to get the phone from his pants pocket.

But then his grandson and the armed man entered the home, Hawkins said. The armed man allegedly held the knife to Hawkins’ stomach area and told Hawkins he would “gut him,” according to an Anderson County Sheriff’s Department incident report. [Read more…]

Police search for suspect in robbery at Family Dollar in Oliver Springs

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Oliver Springs Armed Robbery

The Oliver Springs Police Department is searching for this suspect in a robbery at the Family Dollar Store at about 9:34 p.m. Wednesday. (Photo courtesy OSPD)

 

The Oliver Springs Police Department is searching for a suspect in an armed robbery at the Family Dollar Store at about 9:34 p.m. Wednesday.

The suspect allegedly entered the store at 51 Edmonds Drive, gave the clerk a $100 bill, and asked for change. After the clerk gave the suspect the change, the man then demanded the money in both cash registers, requested both clerks’ phones, took their wallets out of their purses, and left the store, the Oliver Springs Police Department said. [Read more…]

ACSD investigating reported robbery

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Information from WYSH Radio

An Anderson County man reported that he was robbed by two men early Saturday morning.

According to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, Eric Davis was returning to his Dutch Valley Road home after work at around 6 a.m. Saturday when he said he spotted a man bent over in the gravel driveway leading to his house. When he stopped, a second man allegedly grabbed him, assaulted him, and put him in a headlock while the second bandit stole his wallet, which contained about $600.

Davis said both men had something covering their heads and was unable to give a physical description of his assailants, but the ACSD report indicates he followed the suspects’ getaway vehicle long enough to get the tag number, which he provided to investigators.

Davis was not seriously injured in the incident.

Two of three plotters plead guilty in murder attempt

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Information from WYSH Radio

Two people accused of conspiring to kill an elderly man pleaded guilty in an Anderson County courtroom on Monday.

David Lee Suddeth, 44, and Dorothy Roxanne McFarland, 53, both pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, attempted aggravated arson, attempted aggravated kidnapping, and theft under $500. In exchange for those pleas, each was sentenced to nine years behind bars.

A third person, the alleged mastermind of the plot, 50-year-old Randolph Lane, is expected to enter a plea in this case on Wednesday. The trio was accused of plotting to kill then-73-year-old Luther Byrge—with whom they were all living—in January of 2012. Their plan was to lock Byrge inside his bedroom, disable the smoke detector, cut the phone lines, and set his house on fire while he was inside. The plan almost worked too, as the phone and smoke detector were disabled and Byrge was locked in his room, but according to testimony in court, the plan ultimately failed when the gasoline that was ignited under a bathroom sink melted the pipes and extinguished the fire. [Read more…]

Cash, computer, TV reported stolen during home invasion robbery

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Oak Ridge Police Department Logo

Two men who live on Devon Lane in Oak Ridge reported cash and a computer, television, video game system, and other items were stolen during a home invasion robbery early Tuesday morning.

The victims reported the robbery on Devon Lane at about 2:24 a.m. Tuesday.

The list of stolen items included $900 in cash, a gold watch valued at $500, a laptop computer valued at $300, a 35″ flatscreen television valued at $275, a cellphone valued at $200, a video game system valued at $150, drug paraphernalia, and bags that contained $50 in coins. [Read more…]

Man pleads to robbery charges

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Information from WYSH Radio

A Knoxville man pleaded guilty Thursday in Anderson County Criminal Court to reduced charges in a 2012 armed robbery at a Clinton loan store.

Adrian Nathaniel Butler, 20, had been charged with aggravated robbery and theft in the Jan. 12, 2012, robbery at the Cash2You store on Clinch Avenue in South Clinton, and he pleaded guilty to the theft charge and to a reduced charge of robbery.

In exchange for his plea, he was sentenced to eight years behind bars. He has been given credit for the two years that he has been in custody. [Read more…]

Two arrested in robbery after posing as female on meetme.com, sheriff says

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Shawn Dillon Summers

Shawn Dillon Summers

A 19-year-old Knoxville man was robbed and assaulted with a hammer and baseball bat in a mobile home park in Marlow on Tuesday morning after responding to a fake female profile on the social networking site meetme.com, authorities said.

The victim was treated at a Knoxville hospital, and the incident was reported to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department.

Kavonte Jamar Carson

Kavonte Jamar Carson

Two men were arrested on Tuesday afternoon in the alleged robbery, Sheriff Paul White said in a press release. The two are Shawn Dillon Summers, 18, of Joann Lane in Marlow, and Kavonte Jamar Carson, 19, who was  listed at the same address as well as at one in Rockford, Tenn. Both have been charged with aggravated robbery and criminal conspiracy. Carson was also charged with burglary to a vehicle. They are being held in the Anderson County Detention Facility with bonds pending their arraignments. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge man charged with Friday night robbery at Subway

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Matthew Parker

Matthew Parker

An Oak Ridge man has been charged with the Friday night robbery of a Subway restaurant.

Matthew Parker, 25, was initially arrested Monday afternoon for driving on a suspended license, and he was taken to the Oak Ridge Police Department for questioning. After being interviewed by ORPD Detective John Criswell, Parker was charged with the robbery of the Subway, a press release said.

The robbery at the Subway at 1968  Oak Ridge Turnpike on the west end of town occurred at about 8:14 p.m. Friday. A man entered the Subway and gave the clerk a note demanding money, the ORPD said. The clerk gave the man close to $300, and he left in a silver Mazda sedan with a temporary tag, the ORPD said. The vehicle was then involved in a minor collision at the intersection of Louisiana Avenue and Oak Ridge Turnpike, the press release said. The drivers of both vehicles got out, checked the damage, spoke briefly, and then left. The suspect vehicle was then seen traveling east on the Turnpike. [Read more…]

Two plead guilty to money laundering…literally

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Information from WYSH Radio 

Two men pleaded guilty this week to charges that they literally laundered money stolen in a Knox County bank robbery.

Danny Ray Idles, 36, of Clinton and Christopher Coward, 31, of Powell, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Anderson County Criminal Court to four counts each of money laundering and were sentenced to serve four 12-year jail sentences to run concurrently. [Read more…]

Clinton police contribute to arrests on federal charges after Burger King robbery

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Two Lenoir City residents face federal charges for their roles in a Jan. 30 robbery of a Burger King in Lenoir City, and the Clinton Police Department contributed to the arrests, federal officials said Thursday.

In a press release, U.S. Attorney William C. Killian said Joshua Hayworth, 23, and Timothy E. Chudley, 35, both of Lenoir City, were charged Feb. 5 with federal Hobbs Act violations for their roles in the January robbery of the Burger King restaurant in Lenoir City.

Chudley was arrested in Knoxville on Feb. 5 without incident, and he appeared in federal court the same day, the press release said. Hayworth was arrested on state charges on Feb. 3 following a series of events which also resulted in federal carjacking charges against Hayworth. He will appear in federal court at a later date. [Read more…]

ACSD investigates home invasion report

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Information from WYSH Radio

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a home invasion robbery reported to them Thursday at a home on Queen Street in Powell.

The incident occurred at around 4 a.m. The suspects were reported to be wearing ski masks, and they allegedly demanded pain medication and money at gunpoint. The victim said that one of the culprits fired a weapon inside her the home before the suspects left with an undisclosed amount of cash.

No one was hurt in the incident.

Jonathan Lane residents report home invasion robbery Saturday

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A Jonathan Lane resident reported two suspects entered his home and demanded money at about 8 p.m. Saturday, authorities said.

The victim said he knew one of the suspects but didn’t know the other. The unknown suspect allegedly brandished a handgun during the robbery, and the suspects allegedly stole about $650 in cash, Oak Ridge Police Department Officer James Elkins said in an incident report.

Also allegedly taken are a wallet valued at $50, and a driver’s license and debit card valued at about $50 total.