GREENVILLE – Four men….three robberies….six indictments.

A trio of Gaston men – Javarrae Rook, Jarmise Rook, and Juwan Allen of Gaston – along with Derrick Harvey of Roanoke Rapids remain in federal custody, held without bond, for the alleged roles they played in three robberies of the same business last year.

The three crimes were originally investigated by Northampton County Sheriff’s Captain Patrick Jacobs and Lt. Alan Roye. The local sheriff’s office turned the case over to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

Indictments against the four men were handed down on July 23. Federal indictment warrants were issued for their arrest one day later.

Javarrae Rook, Allen, and Harvey were all indicted for an armed robbery that occurred April 27, 2018 at the New Dixie Shell Station on Highway 46 outside of Garysburg.

Javarrae Rook was also indicted on a second count for an armed robbery that occurred at the same store on May 4, 2018.

Javarrae Rook and Jarmise Rook were additionally indicted on a third count of armed robbery that occurred May 8, 2018, again at the same store.

Last week (Aug. 22), Javarrae Rook, Harvey, and Allen all appeared in Federal District Court for their first appearance before a United States Magistrate Judge in Greenville. The indictments named each man for (Count 1) Hobbs Act Robbery, and (Count 2) aiding and abetting. Javarrae Rook received an additional indictment (Count 3) for Hobbs Act Robbery.

A federal law enacted in 1946, a Hobbs Act Robbery is defined as, “whoever in any way or degree obstructs, delays, or affects commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce, by robbery or extortion or attempts or conspires to do so, commits, or threatens physical violence to any person or property in furtherance of a plan or purpose to do anything in violation of this section shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.”

Northampton County Sheriff Jack Smith stated he felt these cases needed to be addressed in the federal court system and the U.S. Attorney’s office agreed to accept these cases.

“Our Sheriff’s Office will continue to work extremely close together along with other agencies such as the U.S. Attorney’s Office. I would also like to thank the District Attorney’s Office for all of their assistance in this on-going process and procedure,” stated Sheriff Smith.