Hammond men charged in check cashing store robbery

Two Hammond men were arrested Monday afternoon for robbing a Mandeville check cashing store at gunpoint, authorities said Tuesday.

Tyrone Morris, 24, 405 Hewitt Road, and Willard Brumfield, 30, 304 Mooney Ave., Apt. 23, were charged with armed robbery and booked into the St. Tammany Parish Jail, Sheriff’s Office spokesman George Bonnett said. If convicted, each face between 10 and 99 years in jail.

Both Morris and Brumfield entered the check cashing store, Advance America, Monday afternoon. Morris approached the clerk and inquired about cashing a check. Meanwhile, Brumfield entered, waving a gun and demanding cash. He forced another female employee into the safe while Morris served as lookout, Bonnett said.

The men took an undisclosed amount of cash and fled the business in a late model red Ford Expedition, he said.

Sheriff’s deputies issued a warning over the radio to be on the lookout for the vehicle. Two Louisiana State Police troopers set up surveillance on Interstate 12 near the Robert Road exit in Tangipahoa Parish, State Police said.

Two vehicles matching the description were stopped. One, stopped on the I-12 westbound off ramp to Louisiana 445 carried Morris and Brumfield.

A gun was found on the floorboard. A “large amount” of cash were found on the suspects, State Police said.

Morris and Brumfield were transported to the Tangipahoa Parish Jail and booked by State Police as a fugitive from St. Tammany.

Sheriff’s Office investigators transported the men back to St. Tammany Parish, where they were questioned about the robbery.  Both men admitted their involvement to detectives, Bonnett said.

The men were booked into the St. Tammany Parish Jail on one count each of armed robbery.  Bond has not yet been set.