Crime

Freeporters arrested in two major robberies

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The Nassau County Police Department recently updated its information concerning arrests for three bank robberies that occurred in Carle Place, Merrick, and Baldwin. Men from Freeport were arrested for the Carle Place and Baldwin robberies. A Uniondale man who was arrested for the Baldwin robbery had previously been arrested for the bank robbery in Merrick.

The earliest robbery occurred In Carle Place. On Monday, Sept. 13, 2021, at 4:30 p.m., a male entered the Capital One Bank at 225 Glen Cove Rd. in Carle Place. The male approached the teller and demanded money. The teller gave him an undisclosed amount of U.S. currency and the man fled. Neither the customer present in the bank at the time, nor any of the six bank employees, were injured. The description of the robbery was of a black male, 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet tall, thin build, wearing a light-colored sweatshirt, black knit hat, sunglasses, gloves and a face covering.

Two men were later arrested and arraigned for the robbery. Defendant Antonio Cowan, 44, of Hempstead Turnpike in West Hempstead, was arrested on November 10, and arraigned on November 11. Shamont Hoousendove, 37, of Independence Ave. in Freeport, was arrested on December 19, and arraigned on December 20. Both men were charged with second-degree robbery.

Another Freeporter and a man from Uniondale were arrested in connection with a robbery that took place on Feb. 22, 2022, at approximately 3:57 p.m. in Baldwin. A man described as black, in his late 40s to early 50s, with an average build and wearing a black jacket, pants, knit hat with a brim, gloves, and blue surgical mask approached the teller and verbally demanded money. He also presented a demand note and displayed a handgun. When the teller gave him an undisclosed amount of U.S. currency, he ran away southbound on Grand Avenue. Seven employees and one customer were present at the time of the robbery, with no injuries reported.

On February 24, two men were arrested for the Baldwin robbery. Curtis Williams, 24, of Hudson Avenue in Freeport, was charged with three counts of second-degree robbery and three counts of third-degree robbery. Demetri Miller, 58, of Northern Parkway in Uniondale, was charged with three counts of second-degree robbery and two counts of first-degree robbery. They were arraigned on Feb. 25 at Nassau County First District Court in Hempstead.

Demetri Miller is also a defendant in an earlier bank robbery that took place in Merrick on Nov. 8, 2021, at 10:55 a.m., when a male described as black, about six feet tall, with an average build entered Sterling National Bank at 2090 Merrick Road. The man displayed a note demanding money. The teller gave him an undisclosed amount of cash and the man ran away on foot.

When arrested on Feb. 24 for the Baldwin robbery, Miller was also charged for the Merrick robbery—three counts of second-degree robbery and three counts of third-degree robbery—for which he was also arraigned on Feb. 25 at Nassau County First District Court