Two Newport News men charged in bank robbery
Published 5:57 pm Tuesday, May 22, 2018
By Diana McFarland
Managing editor
CARROLLTON — Two Newport News men were arrested Friday in connection with a robbery at Old Point National Bank in Carrollton.
Arrested were Roscoe Freeman, 33, of the 400 block of Chestnut Ave. and Russell Hudgins, 33, of the 500 block of Powellsville Road, both in Newport News.
Both men were charged with bank robbery and conspiracy to commit a felony, while Hudgins was also charged with wearing a mask in public and possession of stolen property, according to Lt. Tommy Potter with the Isle of Wight County Sheriff’s Office.
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A teller at the bank identified the suspect as a white male wearing a fake beard, tattoo sleeve, sunglasses and a ball cap during the incident, according to Potter.
The description was the same as the suspect who robbed two York County banks in previous days, he said.
“It was the same exact disguise,” said Potter, adding that the robbers did make off with an undisclosed amount of cash that was later recovered.
A gray Chrysler Sebring was seen leaving the bank, according to Potter.
The Isle of Wight County Sheriff’s Office was alerted that a second car related to the robbery may be located on Warwick Boulevard, near 73rd St. in Newport News and deputies went to that location.
As a deputy approached a gray Nissan Altima, a male passenger fled on foot and threw what was later identified as the disguise worn in the robbery, according to Potter.
The driver of the Nissan was identified as Freeman and the fleeing man was identified as Hudgins.
A search for Hudgins was initiated, and Isle of Wight County was assisted by the Newport News Police, the Newport News Fire Marshal Office, the York County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI.
Hudgins was eventually taken into custody by the Newport News police.
Hudgins is also a suspect in a series of bank robberies in York County and there were outstanding warrants for those robberies at the time of the arrest for the Isle of Wight County robbery.
Hudgins and Freeman are being held without bond in Western Tidewater Regional Jail.
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