Teens accused in multiple armed robberies
More charges were filed Thursday against two Columbia teenagers in connection with multiple robberies.
William R. Harper Jr. and Deavion D. Payne, both 19, are accused in three robberies. In the first incident, police were sent to an armed robbery Oct. 21 on Premier Lane in which the victim said two men robbed him at gunpoint after he set up a deal online to buy an iPhone X from one of them. Police said they were made aware of another robbery that happened on Sept. 25 in which the victim arranged to buy a PlayStation 4 via Facebook Marketplace and was robbed by several men at gunpoint.
Officers were sent to another robbery Oct. 31 in which two people had arranged to buy a vehicle and were robbed by two men.
Police connected Harper and Payne to the robberies through witness descriptions and surveillance video of the Oct. 31 incident, according to a probable cause statement.
Payne and Harper were already in jail when the new charges were filed. They remain jailed without bond. Payne faces two counts of first-degree robbery and one count of armed criminal action.
Harper faces two counts of first-degree robbery and armed criminal action.
