Robbery suspects indicted

Friday, Jan. 1, 2010

Four people charged in a Dec. 1 home invasion and armed robbery in St. Leonard have all been indicted on 16 criminal counts each in the Calvert County Circuit Court.

During the robbery, three men, all holding guns, demanded the occupants of the home get on the floor and one of the robbers stated, "Get me the pills," according to victims' statements in the charging documents.

The three men charged in the robbery, Lusby residents, Derek Craig Bradley, 21, and Stephen Greenlee Joseph, 19, and Bryan Edward Seay, 20, of Port Republic, are currently in the Calvert County Detention Center and Carlene Danielle Pedersen, 19, of Lusby posted bond.

Bottles of OxyContin, Xanax, Endocet, Vyvanse and Prozac, all prescription medications and valued at $1,000, were stolen from the residence and the three men fled the scene on foot, charging documents state. One of the victims indicated that the main suspect, who he described as wearing a red bandana and in possession of a Mossberg-type shot gun, pointed the gun to the face of the three victims after the front door was kicked in and the three invaded the home.

All four were charged with varying counts of armed robbery, first-degree burglary, conspiracy of armed robbery, theft less than $1,000, and three counts each of first-degree assault, second-degree assault, false imprisonment, and handgun use in a felony for a total of 16 charges against each suspect. They have an initial court appearance on Jan. 4, according to judicial records.

Shortly after the robbery, a man who was at the residence during the robbery gave detectives detailed descriptions of the three men and the firearms they were carrying and he said he canvassed the neighborhood after the robbery and saw a vehicle sitting at the intersection of Matapeake Court and Mackall Road, the charging documents stated. The man told police he made note of the tag number and description of the vehicle and approached the female driver who identified herself as Carlee and said she was waiting to pick up her friends.

Detectives broadcasted a look-out of the vehicle and it was found at Broomes Island Road and Route 4 by Trooper Merkelson.

The trooper conducted a traffic stop and the driver was identified as Pedersen, according to the charging documents.

After being questioned by detectives Rich and Ewig during the traffic stop and being evasive at first, Pedersen voluntarily agreed to an audio taped interview with Rich and spoke about her involvement in the armed robbery as the driver of the three men, charging documents state.

Pedersen stated that she drove Bradley, Joseph and Seay to the St. Leonard home knowing that they planned to rob it. She described what they were wearing and the type of guns each was carrying. Pedersen told police that Bradley was dressed in a dark hooded sweatshirt with a red bandana over his face and had a shot gun.

She said Joseph was dressed in a dark hooded sweatshirt, and carried a black handgun or BB gun and Seay, also dressed in a dark hooded sweatshirt, had a silver hand gun.

Her descriptions of the men's clothing and the guns they were carrying were all consistent with the descriptions provided by the victims of the robbery, according to court records.

charvat@somdnews.com