The Charles County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) may have ended a string of robberies that began in January, orchestrated by three BB gun bandits.  Their reign of terrorizing citizens was finally put to an end by a surveillance operation executed by the CCSO.

 
Coleman 
 
 Hall
 
Wright 

 Justin Andrew Coleman, 19, of Waldorf, Ricky Maurice Hall, 18, of DC and Dayton Mozal Wright, 20, of Waldorf, were being held at the Charles County Detention Center, each on $250,000 bond.   Currently Wright is still being held on the full $250,000 bond while Coleman has a remaining $200,000 bond.  Hall has been released after making bail.

 Coleman and Hall were arrested Feb. 5 during a surveillance operation, and Wright was arrested Feb. 7 at his residence in the 9900 block of Morristown Place in Waldorf.

 The surveillance was initiated as a result of similarities in several robberies. During the surveillance operation on Feb. 5 in Waldorf, Coleman and Hall, armed with a handgun, attempted to rob a Goodies restaurant employee, police say. The employee was attempting to deliver food to a residence on Red Squirrel Place.  The victim accelerated his vehicle and managed to escape from the robbers. The victim informed the officer inside a nearby patrol car of the robbery attempt.

 Responding officers observed a blue Chevrolet Cobalt, which had been described in a lookout during the previous robberies.  Officers stopped the vehicle, arrested Coleman and Hall and recovered a BB gun that matched the description of the black handgun used in the previous robberies. Hall and Coleman were charged with armed robbery, robbery, using a handgun in the commission of a felony, first- and second-degree assault and theft valued at less than $500.

 During the investigation, detectives identified Coleman and Wright as suspects in other similar robberies, including the robbery of a pizza deliverywoman on Jan. 29 and the robbery of a pizza deliveryman on Jan. 30.

 A warrant was issued for Wright on Feb. 7 charging him with armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, using a handgun in the commission of a felony, first- and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and two counts of theft valued at less than $500. Another warrant was issued for Coleman on Feb. 6 charging him additionally with two counts each of armed robbery, robbery, first- and second-degree assault and theft valued at less than $500. Detectives are still investigating to determine if the suspects are connected to other unsolved robberies.

 “BB guns are a problem in our community because they are used frequently in armed robberies. They resemble handguns and are easy to acquire,” said Sheriff Rex Coffey. “Parents need to recognize the danger in their children owning a BB guns and determine whether it is appropriate.”

 Whether or not the BB gun was the only weapon used in the commission of these crimes is still under investigation.  Kristen Timko, Information Offcier for CCSO told The Bay Net, “As part of our investigation we have conducted some search warrants but we cannot di