Tysheed L. Hargrove, charged with committing three robberies in two counties, said he committed the crimes for "personal reasons" as he was escorted into district court in Weatherly by Kidder Township police Thursday afternoon.
Kidder police charged Hargrove, 18, with the Jan. 29 armed robbery of the Wawa convenience store on state Route 940.
Township officers drove him from Schuylkill County Prison to Magisterial District Judge Joseph Homanko's office for arraignment on two felony counts of robbery. Hargrove also was charged with aggravated assault and firearms not to be carried without a license, both felonies; theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, prohibited offensive weapon, terroristic threats, possession of an instrument of crime, recklessly endangering another person and simple assault, all misdemeanors.
According to an affidavit of probable cause, Hargrove walked into the Wawa about 10 p.m. Jan. 29 and told the clerk to give him all the money while pointing a handgun at her. Police said the clerk gave him $246.26 from one register and $203.78 from another.
Hargrove, who has no permanent residence, was given $300,000 cash bail by Homanko. Unable to post it, he was returned to the Schuylkill prison.
Tamaqua police filed charges against Hargrove on Wednesday related to two robberies at a borough convenience store earlier this year.
Schuylkill County District Attorney Karen Byrnes-Noon said Hargrove is charged in the Jan. 20 and Feb. 5 armed robberies at Fegley's Mini Mart along Route 309 in the borough.
Tamaqua police Cpl. Henry Woods said Hargrove entered each store armed with a handgun, demanded cash and fled with money from the cash register.
Hargrove told police he robbed Fegley's the second time because he obtained a large amount of money during the Jan. 20 robbery there, the affidavit says.
Hargrove was video arraigned Wednesday by Magisterial District Judge Stephen J. Bayer, Tamaqua, on two counts of robbery and related offenses, one for each of the heists. Bayer set bail at $250,000 for each of the two complaints and ordered Hargrove to remain in prison where he is being held on $100,000 straight cash bail on charges stemming from a chase on Feb. 5 from Tamaqua to Nesquehoning that involved officers from Tamaqua and surrounding areas.
In connection with the chase during which Hargrove was a passenger in the vehicle, Tamaqua police Patrolman Robert Minnick charged the man with receiving stolen property and carrying a firearm without a license.
The driver of the car, Jose W. Nunez, 19, of 666 N. Locust St., Hazleton, was charged by Minnick with receiving stolen property, carrying a firearm without a license, fleeing or attempting to elude police, reckless driving, careless driving, registration and Certificate of Title required, driving without insurance, driving a vehicle without an official Certificate of Inspection, driving without a license and following too closely.
Nunez also remains in Schuylkill County Prison on $100,000 straight cash bail.
Byrnes-Noon noted Wednesday's robbery charges are a result of a coordinated effort by federal, state and local law enforcement.
State police and officers from departments in Schuylkill and Carbon counties have identified Hargrove as a suspect in several other convenience store robberies.
On Feb. 3, a man matching the description of Hargrove entered the Turkey Hill Minit Mart in Rush Township and a short time later the Exxon/Uni-Mart store in West Mahanoy Township and robbed clerks in each business at gunpoint.
On Jan. 26, a man also fitting the description of Hargrove used a handgun to hold up Fegley's Mini Mart in McAdoo.
State police at Frackville, Kidder Township police and Rush Township police are working with the FBI for the heists in their respective municipalities and said arrests are pending.
Staff writer Amanda Christman contributed to this report.