Four individuals indicted by grand jury for armed robbery

Four individuals were indicted by the Lincoln County Grand Jury in connection with three separate cases of armed robbery.

The grand jury convened Monday, July 30, with Judge Harold A. Hinesley presiding.

During the proceedings, the grand jury indicted Roderick Cox, 16, of Lincoln County on one count of armed robbery, a charge which stemmed from an incident that occurred January 11, 2007, at Farmers & Merchants Bank.

It is alleged that Cox, who was charged as an adult, entered the rear door of the bank, walked up to a teller and showed her his gun, threw a bag on the counter, and told her to fill it up, according to Gary Nicholson, special agent in charge of the Thomson Office of the GBI.

After receiving the money, the defendant exited the bank by the rear door and escaped on a bicycle, said Nicholson. Within 30 minutes of the robbery, law enforcement officers recovered the bicycle in a wooded area near the bank.

Cox was taken into custody the next morning at his school in McDuffie County by Special Agent Tony Williamson with the GBI, Lincolnton Police Chief Jim Justice, and an investigator with the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office.

The subject remains in custody, awaiting trial.

Most of the stolen money was recovered.

The grand jury also indicted Christopher Barnard Davis on a misdemeanor count (less than $500) of theft by receiving stolen property. Allegedly, Davis was found in possession of money from the bank heist.

In an unrelated case, Anthony Lawayne Emetu and Juwan Gabriel Beard, both of Wrens, and Shannon N. Lazenby of Lincolnton were indicted by the grand jury on one count each of armed robbery. Emetu was indicted on an additional count of felony flight. All of these charges were filed in connection with a second holdup that took place at Farmers & Merchants Bank March 14, 2007.

According to Special Agent Nicholson, after robbing the bank at 2:41 p.m., Beard and Emetu, armed with handguns, were spotted leaving the scene in a Pontiac Grand Prix.

"Through our investigation, we were led to Wrens where we were able to identify all three subjects," said the special agent. "Later that evening, we located Mr. Beard in Wrens and took him into custody without incident.

"We kept on searching throughout the night, following leads to Louisville and then Augusta," Nicholson continued. "At about 2 p.m. the next day, Mr. Emetu turned himself in to authorities at a shopping center in Augusta."

As for Lazenby, she was arrested in Lincolnton the day of the robbery.

All of the money was recovered.

In a separate case, the grand jury indicted Emetu on a second count of armed robbery for his alleged role in an incident that occurred January 16, 2007, at the night depository at Farmers State Bank.

According to Chief Justice of the Lincolnton Police Department, Emetu approached a manager at Hardee's as she was making the night deposit, pointed a gun at her, took the money, and fled on foot.

Others indicted by the grand jury were:

.. David Beene, three counts of violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act (GCSA) (felony possession of methamphetamine, felony possession of procaine, and misdemeanor possession of marijuana) and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

.. Zaron Shanks and Morris Kennedy, Jr., two counts each of violation of the GCSA (possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute).

.. Tenika Cullars, financial identity fraud.

.. James Willie Harris, child molestation.

.. David Burgess, theft by taking (felony).

.. Dennis Davis, stalking and criminal trespass.

.. Carlos Harris, one count of criminal damage to property in the second degree, one count of interference with government property, and two counts of simple battery.

.. James Hogan, theft by taking (felony).

.. Fredrick Mansion, violation of the Georgia Sex Offender Registry Act.

According to a spokesman for the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, "Mr. Mansion gave a New Petersburg Road address as his place of residence but was discovered to actually be living on First Baptist Street, within 1,000 feet of a church. If convicted, he faces a possible life sentence."

.. Michael Lockhart, two counts of simple battery.

.. Eddie Dean Skinner, Jr., burglary, felony theft by taking, and felony flight.

.. Nathaniel Leverett, simple battery.

.. Sydney Skinner, 10 counts of insurance fraud. Chris Harmon Skinner was indicted on two counts of insurance fraud in connection with the same case.

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