RED SPRINGS — A convicted felon has been charged with three recent armed robberies in Robeson County during which he allegedly used a knife to threaten employees of the targeted businesses.
Trenton Dwayne Pearson, 33, of 2218 N.C. 83 in Maxton, is accused of three robberies that took place over a four-day period in Lumber Bridge, Red Springs and St. Pauls. He faces three counts of armed robbery and four counts of second-degree kidnapping. Pearson is being held in the Robeson County Detention Center under a $225,000 secured bond.
Pearson was arrested at 4 p.m. Tuesday by St. Pauls police, according to Maj. Damien McLean, of the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office.
“The police department recovered the knife used,” McLean said.
The first robbery took place Saturday at the Dollar General at 2656 Lombardy Village Road in Lumber Bridge.
“A clerk was held at knifepoint, and was threatened with being stabbed if she did not give the robber money,” McLean said. “The robber took about $320 from the store. The clerk was not injured.”
The Sun-Do convenience store at 902 E. Fourth St. in Red Springs was robbed Monday.
“As the store employee counted the money in the register, the suspect placed a knife on the side of the female attendant, and said that he would take the money. Neither attendant was hurt. The suspect got away with $1,539 in cash,” a statement from Red Springs police Maj. Kimothy Monroe reads in part.
The Dollar General at 584 W. Clark St. in St. Pauls was robbed Tuesday.
“He held a clerk at knifepoint,” McLean said.
The clerk was not injured.
The kidnapping charges are for detaining the employees in each instance.
The federal court system may take an interest in this case because the businesses are related to interstate commerce, McLean said.
Pearson was released in August on probation after serving 11 years in prison after being convicted in 2007 for assault and robbery with a deadly weapon and kidnapping.
