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Kewuan Kantrell Jones, 33 of Lancaster, was "dressed in all black, wearing a black ski mask and white gloves, robbed the store with a gun," the police wrote in a release about the June 18 robbery of the Turkey Hill located at 1501 Manheim Pike.
He was captured on surveillance video stealing $303.93 from the register and a pack of Newport 100’s cigarettes, the police explained.
"Store employees believe the suspect had been in the store several times that week," as stated in the release, adding that "Jones was recognized through Facebook as being the possible suspect."
The investigation included tracing his cell phone to the store at the time of the robbery and finding the items he is accused of stealing at his home during a warranted search, according to the release.
A criminal complaint was filed on July 11, 2024, and an arrest warrant was issued. Jones was taken into custody on July 15, 2024, on the following charges police say and court records show:
- Felony Robbery-Threat Immediate Serious Injury.
- Misdemeanor Simple Assault.
- Misdemeanor Theft By Unlaw Taking - Movable Property.
His preliminary arraignment was held before Judge Joseph C. Stauffer at 7:30 a.m. the day he was arrested. He has been held in the Lancaster County Prison on $500,000 in bail, according to his latest court docket.
Jones has a criminal record including misdemeanor drug offenses and harassment in 2021, according to an earlier court docket. Later in that year, he pleaded guilty as part of a negotiated deal to a felony person not to possess a firearm and a misdemeanor of recklessly endangering another person. He was not supposed to own a gun following his 2007 felon robbery and criminal conspiracy convictions; serving 369 days in prison for a maximum 10-year sentence, court records show. He was still serving parole/probation for these crimes at the time of the Turkey Hill robbery,
His preliminary hearing for this most recent robbery is set before Judge Courtney M. Monson at 9 a.m. on July 22.
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