Jefferson City man accused of robbing man at gunpoint outside of IHOP
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
A Jefferson City man was arrested and charged after he was accused of robbing another man at gunpoint on Monday.
James Wheeler Jr., 41, was charged with first-degree robbery, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon. He is being held in the Cole County Jail without bond. An arraignment is set for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Cole County Circuit Court.
According to the probable cause statement, the victim allegedly performed an oil change on Wheeler’s vehicle behind the IHop on Ashley Street. The alleged victim told police that Wheeler accused him of stealing a gun from the vehicle, pulled out tan gun and demanded the victim’s keys, the statement says.
A witness allegedly told police that they saw the victim give his car keys to Wheeler, but he did not see Wheeler take out a gun, according to the probable cause statement.
The victim allegedly identified Wheeler to police through social media and IHop staff also gave police Wheeler’s identity and address, the statement says. Wheeler was described as an employee in the statement.
Police arrested Wheeler at his residence, the statement says. He allegedly told police that he did take the victim’s keys, but claimed he did not pull a gun, the statement says. Police searched Wheeler’s vehicle and found the keys and a 9 mm magazine, the statement says.
Wheeler’s girlfriend allowed police to search the apartment – the statement says – and police allegedly found a tan gun on a nightstand. She had allegedly told police that the gun was usually under the mattress and said Wheeler may have took the gun while running an errand, the statement says.
Wheeler allegedly told police that he noticed clothes in the passenger seat of the vehicle had been disturbed and a gun and weed were missing, the statement says. Wheeler allegedly told police that he called the victim and told them there would be no issue, if he returned the gun. He then met the victim and took his keys.
According to the statement, Wheeler said he never pulled out the tan gun and claimed the victim only knew of the gun because of social media.
