ROCKINGHAM — Two Richmond County teenagers were recently arrested as two-thirds of a trio suspected in a pair of store robberies earlier this month.

According to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, 18-year-olds Joshua Reid Lee, of Lee Street in Rockingham, and Justice Tarlton Sweet, of Country Road, just outside Hamlet, along with 24-year-old Justin Robert Rutherford of Cheraw Road, Hamlet, are responsible for robberies on Airport Road and Chalk Street that happened two days apart.

Deputies say the trio first held up Nina’s Mart on Chalk Road Oct. 4, then P&D Mart on Airport Road two days later, with Sweet brandishing a revolver in both robberies.

According to deputies, Sweet was the only one who went inside Nina’s Mart, but was accompanied by one of the other men at P&D Mart.

After an investigation, deputies arrested Rutherford and Lee last Thursday. Sweet was apprehended on Saturday.

Each suspect was charged with one felony count each of robbery with a dangerous weapon. Rutherford was also charged with a misdemeanor count of simple possession of a Schedule II controlled substance for allegedly having an Opana pill.

All three were booked into the Richmond County Jail: Rutherford and Lee under a $50,000 secured bond; Sweet under a $100,000 secured bond. They are scheduled to appear in Richmond County District Court on Oct. 22.

Online court records show neither Rutherford nor Lee has any other pending charges. Sweet is facing a pair of traffic infractions for failure to stop at a stop sign or flashing red light and failure to wear a seat belt.

Records with the N.C. Department of Public Safety Division of Adult Correction show no previous adult criminal convictions for any of the defendants.

All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until or unless proven guilty in court.

Reach reporter William R. Toler at 910-817-2675 and follow him on Twitter @William_r_toler.

Lee
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_lee1.jpgLee

Rutherford
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_rutherford1.jpgRutherford

Sweet
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_sweet1.jpgSweet

Joshua Lee, Justin Rutherford and Justice Sweet have been charged in a pair of store robberies from early last week.
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_robtrio1.jpgJoshua Lee, Justin Rutherford and Justice Sweet have been charged in a pair of store robberies from early last week.

By William R. Toler

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