Two Atmore men face robbery charges after one admitted driving the other, who was later arrested for robbery, to Piggly Wiggly in Davisville last December.
Johnny Cecil Patterson, 46, 159 E. Ashley St., was arrested Feb. 10, following an investigation that led to the arrest of Maurice M. Ervin, who Patterson said he dropped off at Davisville Piggly Wiggly on Dec. 4, 2019, according to an Escambia County Sheriff's Office report.
Patterson told police Ervin asked him to take him to the store around 11 p.m., when the store was closing. Patterson told authorities he had a conversation with Ervin in reference to picking him up when he called as he drove Ervin to the store, the report said.
Ervin entered the store and committed the robbery at 10:51 p.m., taking $6.686.66, and was immediately picked up by Patterson and transported to 354 West Sunset Drive, where Ervin lives.
According to the report, Patterson provided ziploc bags to Ervin and the money was divided.
On Dec. 9, Ervin's Alabama driver's license was located behind the Piggly Wiggly in a ditch.
Also, the report indicated that phone calls between Ervin and Patterson were intercepted by authorities where the two discussed picking up the money from a hidden location and using some of it to put on Ervin's books at the jail. Ervin describes the location of the hidden money and directs Patterson on what to do with it.
On Dec. 10, Patterson was interviewed and gave a sworn statement indicating the call from Ervin to pick Ervin up. Patterson indicated he picked Ervin up and that there was no conversation between the two of them during the almost 6-miles to Ervin's home on Sunset Drive, the report said.
Patterson told authorities he was contacted from the jail by Ervin several days later and was asked to get the money that was hidden and Patterson refused. Ervin was arrested Dec. 12, 2019.
Patterson was arrested Jan. 10 and transported to the Escambia County Jail, where he was given a bond of $105,000.
