2 charged in robberies, gun incident

Durham's police chief calls a news conference to address the arrests of the pair

DURHAM -- Boredom.

That's the reason Police Chief Jose Lopez Sr. gave Friday afternoon in explaining what police say are the actions of Trey Preston Brown, 18, and Scott Edward Eakes, 19. The two Durham residents had been arrested and charged in the morning with a number of robberies and at least one shooting incident. Additional charges are possible, Lopez said.

"I was rather surprised but not shocked," Lopez said as to the suspects' reasoning. "I do believe that we have to address our youth, address what they're going through."

Brown of Windgate Drive is charged with five counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon, four counts of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, one count of attempted armed robbery, eight counts of discharging a weapon into occupied property and one count each of simple assault and injury to personal property.

Eakes, of Chalk Level Road, is charged with four counts of aiding and abetting robbery with a dangerous weapon, four counts of conspiracy to commit robbery and one count each of assault by pointing a gun, possession of a weapon of mass destruction and possession of stolen property. Both remained in the Durham County jail Friday with bail set at $2.5 million each.

Cases against the pair include:

* A robbery Jan. 12 in which two men wearing bandannas over their faces pulled a gun and demanded money from a person on Watts Street. The victim was hit in the eye.

* A robbery of a man and a woman on Ninth Street on May 24 in which a man jumped from behind a bush and pointed a laser at the pair.

* Also May 24, an incident in which about nine shots were fired at a house on McBenson Place. Eight people were inside the house. No one was hit.

Charges are pending against the pair in connection with a shooting into a DATA bus March 6. The bus, with 18 people inside, was leaving Northgate Mall and turning onto Guess Road when shots were fired from a nearby park. No one was injured.

Lopez said a "big break" in the case occurred a few days ago, but he would not elaborate, citing the continuing investigation. He said both suspects are gang members.

Investigators were also looking at car break-ins across the city, which were occurring in "sporadic clusters," Lopez said. He said detectives think Brown and Eakes may be connected to those as well.

While searching Eakes' home, police found guns that had been stolen in break-ins in Durham County and in Louisburg, a protective vest stolen from a Durham County sheriff's deputy's patrol vehicle and a stolen motor scooter, Lopez said.

Brown faces separate drug and weapons charges from earlier this year. Eakes was convicted in 2006 of having a weapon on educational property and has a number of traffic convictions. He was found guilty this year in Wake County of injury to personal property and possession of stolen goods.

Lopez said both suspects lived with their parents when arrested. He said the cases highlight the importance of parents being involved in their children's lives. He said he called the news conference to announce the arrests because he wanted the public to know that investigators are making progress on the city's robbery cases and to warn criminals that they will be caught.

Mayor Bill Bell, who was at the news conference with City Manager Patrick Baker and City Council member Mike Woodard, thought the suspects' reasoning for their actions didn't make sense.

"It's no excuse to use not having a job or whatever to do the type of things these young people are accused of," he said. "It's one thing to say that you did one such thing, but to be accused of multiple incidents and to say the reason we did was because we're bored, that's not acceptable."