News Flash

Durham police investigators have arrested two men in connection with a series of commercial armed robberies targeting cell phone stores and convenience stores. No one was injured in the robberies.

One man – Don Lee Johnson Jr., 28, of Durham – was charged with committing 23 armed robberies since March. The second man – Desmun Lamon Sutton, 31, of Durham – was charged with several felonies related to the robberies. 

Johnson and Sutton were arrested by members of the Durham Police Department’s Selective Enforcement Team (SET) and Robbery Unit following a brief foot chase Tuesday afternoon in the 2800 block of Rochelle Street.

A gun was used in all the robberies, according to investigators. Cash was taken in all the robberies. Johnson is charged with robbing several businesses more than once.

Johnson is charged with robbing the following businesses:

• 3/08/21 at 3:59 pm - Cricket Wireless at 5428 New Hope Commons Drive. 
• 5/13/21 at 3:21 pm - Cricket Wireless at 4725 NC Highway 55.
• 5/15/21 at 8:41 pm - Boost Mobile at 4201 University Drive, Suite 108.
• 5/18/21 at 10:56 pm - Family Fare at 1251 University Drive.
• 5/20/21 at 7:15 pm - Boost Mobile at 2230 North Roxboro Street.
• 6/16/21 at 5:09 pm - Cricket Wireless at 1213 University Drive.
• 6/29/2021 at 3:21 pm - Cricket Wireless at 4725 NC Highway 55.
• 8/5/2021 at 3:38 pm - Cricket Wireless at 1213 University Drive.
• 9/15/2021 at 6:21 pm - Cricket Wireless at 1213 University Drive.
• 9/18/2021 at 5:05 pm - Cricket Wireless at 3437 Hillsborough Road.
• 9/22/2021 at 9:31 am - Boost Mobile at 2230 North Roxboro Street.
• 9/23/2021 at 6:28 pm - Cricket Wireless at 4725 NC Highway 55.
• 9/23/2021 at 6:52 pm - Boost Mobile at 4201 University Drive.
• 10/8/2021 at 4:17 pm - Boost Mobile at 3600 North Duke Street.
• 10/13/2021 at 3:21 pm - Metro by T-Mobile at 2301 Holloway Street.
• 10/16/2021 at 12:11 am - BP at 3921 Fayetteville Street.
• 10/16/2021 at 5:55 pm - Metro by T-Mobile at 3438 Hillsborough Road.
• 10/18/2021 at 3:49 pm – Cricket Wireless at 1720 Guess Road. 
• 10/20/2021 at 11:15 pm – BP at 2432 Erwin Road.
• 10/26/2021 at 6:42 pm – Metro by T-Mobile at 4731 NC Highway 55.
• 10/26/2021 at 8:40 pm – BP at 1251 University Drive.
• 10/31/2021 at 7:05 am – Circle K at 2503 NC Highway 55.
• 11/2/2021 at 1:37 a.m. – BP at 2406 Holloway Street.

Johnson was charged with 23 counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon, four counts of conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, two counts of obtaining property by false pretense and four counts of second-degree kidnapping. He was also arrested on three 2019 warrants charging him with providing fictitious information to a law enforcement officer, a misdemeanor probation violation and an unsupervised probation violation. He was placed in Durham County Jail under a $610,447.50 bond. 

Sutton was charged with four counts of conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, one felony count of accessory after the fact and two counts of obtaining property by false pretense. He was also arrested on a true bill of indictment for felony possession of cocaine. He was placed in Durham County Jail under a $75,000 bond.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call Investigator Smith at (919) 560-4440, ext. 29365 or CrimeStoppers at (919) 683-1200. CrimeStoppers pays cash rewards for information leading to arrests in felony cases and callers never have to identify themselves.