Post by KC on Jun 17, 2006 22:15:43 GMT -5
Officer Brian O'Keith Freeman
June 17, 2006 - A former sheriff's deputy in Stafford and Caroline counties has been charged with robbing a Wawa food store in Spotsylvania County, authorities say.
Officer Brian O'Keith Freeman, 32, is accused of the May 16 robbery of the Wawa at 199 Falcon Dr. off Mine Road, said Spotsylvania Sheriff Howard Smith. He's also charged with abducting the clerk briefly during the robbery.
Freeman, who worked for the Caroline Sheriff's Office before a three-year stint with the Stafford Sheriff's Office, was convicted of three counts of cocaine possession and grand larceny in Stafford in June 2002. He got six months to serve in prison.
Authorities said that Freeman stole cocaine from the evidence room while working for the Stafford Sheriff's Office. In 2004 he was convicted of violating his probation by testing positive for marijuana and was ordered to spend four months in jail.
As of yesterday evening, Freeman had not been arrested on the robbery and abduction charges in Spotsylvania. Smith said he should be considered armed and dangerous.
Smith said detectives believe Freeman is still in the Fredericksburg area. Anybody with information on his whereabouts is asked to call the Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office at 540/582-7115.
The Wawa was robbed about 1:50 a.m. May 16, authorities said. The robber asked a clerk for a carton of cigarettes. When she opened the cash drawer to ring him up, the man demanded all the money and said he'd shoot her in the head if she didn't cooperate. She didn't see him actually flash a gun. The man got money and left in a silver SUV.
Spotsylvania detectives placed the charges against Freeman after getting tips through the county's Crime Solvers program, Smith said. Detectives organized a photo lineup, and Freeman was charged with the crimes.
Spotsylvania detectives are also investigating four robberies in the county that have occurred in the past few weeks. Two 7-Eleven stores and employees at two different Burger Kings were robbed. Smith said detectives are looking into whether Freeman had any connection with those other robberies.
fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2006/062006/06162006/199720