Teens held in Stafford County robbery, beating

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By KEITH EPPS

A young Stafford man was arrested Monday night in connection with a robbery Friday in southern Stafford, police said.

Sheriff’s spokesman Bill Kennedy said the victim, a 17-year-old local boy, was beaten and robbed by two other teens after coming to Stafford to sell a cell phone. One suspect, a 17-year-old Spotsylvania boy, was arrested shortly after the Friday afternoon incident.

Kennedy said the victim came to the Howard Johnson motel at 386 Warrenton Road about 2:20 p.m. to sell his iPhone 5. Kennedy said he had been in touch with one suspect via Facebook and had requested to meet him at the 7-Eleven off Short Street.

The would-be buyer, identified by police as 18-year-old Stephone Jermaine Banks, instead insisted on meeting at the motel and the victim agreed. The victim told police he was a little suspicious about the change in meeting places, so he left the phone in his car and went to meet the buyer carrying only the box and his friend’s iPhone 4, an older model.

Kennedy said that after a brief discussion, the suspect told the victim he had to get the money from his mother, who was staying at the motel. While walking through the complex, the victim was attacked from behind by the 17-year-old suspect and stunned by blows to the head from both suspects.

The suspects took the box and the iPhone 4 and fled. The victim returned to his vehicle, told his friend what had happened and the Sheriff’s Office was called.

Deputy Stephanie Ellington found the younger suspect a short time later and the victim identified him as one of his attackers. Police later went to Banks’ home in nearby Olde Forge subdivision. He wasn’t there, but the iPhone box taken from the victim was recovered.

Banks was found Monday in Olde Greenwich subdivision by the Stafford Special Problems Unit with help from the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania sheriff’s offices.

Banks and the 17-year-old suspect, who was not named because he is a juvenile, are charged with robbery, conspiracy, grand larceny and larceny with the intent to sell. Banks was placed in the Rappahannock Regional Jail and the boy is being held in the local juvenile detention center.

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