AUGUSTA — Two Augusta men charged in connection with a robbery Friday were each armed with a firearm, including an assault rifle.
The additional details emerged Tuesday in an affidavit filed by Augusta police Officer Benjamin Murtiff in Kennebec County Superior Court.
Tyler Wayne Robinson, 26, of Augusta, is charged with robbery, refusing to submit to arrest or detention and unlawful possession of a scheduled drug. He was subject to a probation hold. A convicted felon, Robinson also is charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. He was held over the weekend at the Kennebec County jail in lieu of $15,000 cash bail.
Samuel R. Smith, 25, also of Augusta, is charged with robbery. He was held over the weekend at the same jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail.
No injuries were reported in the robbery, which occurred around 10 p.m. Friday.
Zach Elwell, 19, of Augusta, was robbed at gunpoint by two men after he entered an apartment at 9 Laurel St., Murtiff wrote. Robinson, whom Elwell recognized, was carrying a handgun that police now believe was a Colt semi-automatic. The second man, believed to be Smith, was carrying a black AK-47. Both weapons, as well as possessions reportedly taken from Elwell during the holdup, were found later in Smith’s apartment, Murtiff wrote.
Kelsey Strickland called Elwell to the apartment “to smoke,” Murtiff wrote. Robinson demanded Elwell hand over all his possessions while he and Smith held him at gunpoint. Elwell gave the men a baseball cap; a necklace; earrings; and the prescription drugs Suboxone, used to treat opiate addiction, and Adderall, which is used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Murtiff wrote. The men took everything except the $200 Elwell was carrying.
“Elwell stated he was scared for his life and that in his pocket he had a knife,” Murtiff wrote. “Elwell stated the knife was open because he was getting ready to stab Robinson and the other male.”
Elwell told police he already had called “associates” to respond to the robbery if police didn’t resolve the matter quickly, Murtiff wrote.
“Elwell stated that his associates would shoot up the place and they would handle the problem,” Murtiff wrote.
Elwell’s girlfriend, Crystal Pooler, who was with him at the time, confirmed Elwell’s account of events. She said one of the men was white and was not wearing a shirt. She said that man had a problem with his eye. Murtiff said Smith has eye damage.
“Pooler stated that Robinson also grabbed Elwell by the throat and forced him and her to leave the apartment,” Murtiff said.
Pooler said the drugs taken from Elwell had been prescribed to him, but Strickland, who admitted having called Elwell to the apartment, said he was there to sell the drugs and showed officers text messages she had exchanged with Elwell, Murtiff wrote.
Police confronted Robinson as he was leaving 9 Laurel St., where the robbery had occurred earlier. He was taken into custody after a brief scuffle. Police found on Robinson a small container with Adderall inside, Murtiff wrote.
Smith’s live-in girlfriend, Sarah Higgins, told police that Smith had provided Robinson with the gun. She gave police permission to search the Waldo Street apartment, where they found a hat matching the description of the one taken from Elwell during the robbery and the two guns matching the description of those used in the robbery.
“Higgins stated that Robinson was angry at Elwell because Elwell had a sexual relationship with Robinson’s child’s mother and had stolen $500 from him in the past,” Murtiff wrote.
Smith admitted to police that he was in the apartment at the time of the robbery, but he denied taking part in it. He said he was in the bathroom injecting drugs when he heard Robinson yelling at someone in the other room, Murtiff wrote.
“Smith stated that Robinson was yelling at a male about an abortion and having some type of sexual relationship with some other female,” Murtiff wrote.
Smith claimed he left the bathroom and saw Robinson pointing a gun at someone. Smith said he took the gun from Robinson and emptied it of its bullets.
“I asked Smith how he took the handgun from Robinson,” Murtiff wrote. “Smith stated Robinson was a coward, and he just took it from him.”
Witness accounts agreed that Smith was holding an AK-47, but Smith blamed those accusations on social media.
“Smith said everyone knows he has an AK-47 because of his Facebook account,” Murtiff wrote.
Craig Crosby — 621-5642
Twitter: @CraigCrosby4
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