JACKSON – An eight-month-old case of armed robbery has been solved.

The Northampton County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of the Roanoke Rapids Police Department, nabbed a suspect for an armed robbery that occurred Feb. 10 off of Cal Floyd Road near Gaston. It was there that 29-year-old Paris Terell Rooks of Roanoke Rapids reportedly brandished a firearm and demanded money from the victim.

Northampton County Sheriff’s Captain M.D. DeLoatch Sr. said Rooks allegedly set up a face-to-face meeting with the victim, under the guise of purchasing a gaming system.

Rooks was immediately identified as the suspect and the Northampton Sheriff’s Office drew warrants for his arrest, to include robbery with a dangerous weapon, felony possession of a firearm by felon, and misdemeanor assault by pointing a gun.  However, Rooks left the area just after committing the alleged crime.

Rooks came back, however, and DeLoatch received information of his return.

DeLoatch and Investigator Bobby Martin of the Roanoke Rapids Police Department worked together on the information Northampton received.

“He had information,” Martin said of DeLoatch. “It was good communications between two agencies.”

DeLoatch said Rooks appeared to have gained confidence and came back to the area.

Roanoke Rapids Police apprehended Rooks, who also faces charges lodged by the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office.

In Halifax County he faces charges of felony larceny; felony possessing and receiving stolen property; felony obtaining property by false pretense and a misdemeanor count of resisting a public officer. He made his first court appearance on Tuesday to answer the HalifaxCounty charges.

His next court appearance will be Oct. 22 in Jackson for the charges lodged against him in Northampton County.

“The Northampton County Sheriff’s Office will continue to investigate crimes of violence and bring them before our courts. We ask that the public continue to assist us by being witnesses for our communities and county,” said Sheriff Jack Smith.