HAMLET — A man wanted on suspicion of robbing a convenience store has been apprehended.
Richmond County Jail records show that 23-year-old Braxton Montgomery Lewis, of Rockingham, was booked at 9:01 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 20. He was arrested by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.
Lewis is charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon for allegedly holding up the Speedway gas station in Hamlet on Jan. 24.
According to a Facebook post following the robbery by the Hamlet Police Department, Lewis walked into the store wearing a camouflaged facemask and gloves. He reportedly showed the store clerk that he had a gun in his waistband and demanded money.
After he ran out of the door, the clerk reportedly followed and fired two shots at him with her own handgun before calling police.
HPD posted a wanted poster for Lewis on Friday, Feb. 18 after identifying him as the suspect.
That was the second time the gas station was robbed within a week. Police are still trying to identify the suspect in the first robbery on Jan. 18.
Anyone with information on that case is encouraged to call the Hamlet Police Department at 910-582-2551 or Richmond County Crime Stoppers at 910-997-5454.
Jail records show Lewis is also charged with possession of methamphetamine and simple possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance. He is also facing a charge of obtaining property by false pretenses in Moore County.
Lewis is being held on a $75,000 secured bond for the Richmond County charges with a court appearance scheduled for March 10; and $1,000 secured bond with a March 16 court date for the Moore County charge.
Online court records show Lewis also has the following pending charges: assault on a female; misdemeanor larceny; larceny of a firearm; possession of a stolen firearm; possession of a firearm by a felon; financial card theft; two counts of identity theft; misdemeanor possession of stolen goods; and two counts of obtaining property by false pretenses.
He also has an April 11 court appearance on multiple charges through the Division of Community Corrections for probation violations.
Lewis is currently serving a 12-month suspended sentence following a conviction last month of driving while impaired in Montgomery County, according to records with the N.C. Department of Public Safety Division of Adult Correction.
In 2020, Lewis was convicted on multiple charges in two counties:
- Moore – three counts of violating a protective order; assault on a female; common law false imprisonment; and interfering with emergency communications.
- Richmond – speeding to elude arrest; failing to stop at an intersection with a flashing light; misdemeanor larceny; and resisting an officer.
His first convictions were in 2018 for simple affray and injury to personal property in Cumberland County.
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
