Escaped inmates from Chesterfield County Detention Center has partially concluded with the capture of two out of the four fugitives. Roanoke Rapids Police Department confirmed the arrest of Anton Conway Bennett, 30, a suspect who managed to initially elude identification by giving a false name. As reported by WBTV, the situation began to unfold after officers responded to a call about a suspicious, apparently broken down vehicle on Clinton Street, early Thursday morning.
At the scene, Bennett attempted to successfully slip away from law enforcement by providing the alias Garmal Brown, claiming to hail from Santee, South Carolina, but was swiftly apprehended after a brief foot chase. Initially charged with possession of a stolen vehicle and resisting an officer with a $5,000 bond, the suspect was unknown to police as one of the Chesterfield escapees at that time. It wasn't until five days later that authorities connected the dots, as emerged from a QC News report.
Bennett's real identity was uncovered following a deeper investigation into the stolen vehicle, which was reported taken from South Carolina. Subsequently, police found that not only had Bennett provided false identification, but he was also the inmate wanted for his involvement in a jailbreak from Chesterfield County last Monday, and was implicated in various theft cases in Chesterfield County, Virginia. "Bennett was wanted by the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office for escaping jail last Monday with three others," police said in statements to WISTV, adding that Bennett was presumably headed towards Virginia where he has family connections.
After revealing his true identity, Bennett faced new charges of identity theft, adding to his existing charges for a stolen vehicle and resisting arrest. Authorities say the two other escapees are still at large and likely not in the Roanoke Rapids area. Bennett is in Halifax County jail with no bond, awaiting extradition to South Carolina and Virginia for additional charges.
