An Easton man awaiting a pizza delivery faked surprise when a gunman robbed the driver last month in a city apartment building, according to police.
A Domino’s Pizza delivery vehicle is seen Feb. 11, 2007. A 30-year-old Easton man was arrested Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017, in the robbery of a Domino’s driver after he initially feigned surprise at a gunman, who had interrupted their transaction, and ran off, according to police. (AP file photo | For lehighvalleylive.com)
Joshua D. Sloley, 30, of 633 Northampton St., was in on the crime, police said. He was charged Thursday with five felonies, and police were continuing to look for the gunman.
Cellphone records obtained by city police Detective Charles Leauber indicate the pizza order was placed by someone other than Sloley, to be delivered to Sloley’s apartment about 10 p.m. Jan. 27. Sloley called that other person’s number just prior to and just after the robbery, police said.
The Domino’s delivery driver met with Sloley in the vestibule of the apartment building, and told police he was recognizable as a familiar customer, court records say. A second man then came up behind the driver, placing a silver-colored handgun to the back of the driver’s head, police said.
“Holy f–!” Sloley said and ran back upstairs, police said.
The gunman threatened to blow out the brains of the driver, took $15 the driver carries to make change then ordered the driver outside, where the driver’s Samsung Galaxy 6 cellphone and wallet containing $40, driver’s license and two credit cards were turned over, according to police.
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Sloley told police Jan. 28 he was home the prior night “but did not see or hear anything,” police said; the driver confirmed a photo of Sloley was that of the man who had come to the vestibule to pick up the pizza.
Police learned Jan. 29 one of the stolen credit cards was used on a $1.50 purchase at the Easton Corner Market, 359 Northampton St. in the city, by an unknown man shown on surveillance video to be accompanied by Sloley, court records say.
The same card was also used about 4:15 p.m. Jan. 28 at Wal-Mart in Lower Nazareth Township, with Sloley again accompanying the second man, police said. The card was used in an attempt to make purchases of $1,996, $1,215 and $740 in the electronics department, police said.
Police confirmed Jan. 31 that Sloley was seen on surveillance using the victim’s other credit card on a $2.26 purchase, which was declined, at Family Dollar, 301 Northampton St. in Easton. The unknown man was with him.
Court records identify Sloley’s conspirator in the case as Marvelous W. Stanton, also 30, of Whitehall Township.
Sloley was arraigned Thursday on charges, filed Feb. 10, of robbery, conspiracy and three counts of access device fraud. Police on Tuesday filed the same five felony counts against Stanton, but he had not been arraigned as of Thursday afternoon.
Sloley and Stanton are also charged in a Feb. 10 theft in South Whitehall Township, with Sloley jailed in lieu of $15,000 bail and Stanton released on $10,000 unsecured bail.
Sloley also faces separate theft cases in South Whitehall and Lower Macungie townships and was ordered held in Lehigh County Jail in lieu of a combined $45,000 additional bail.
At his arraignment in the Easton case, District Judge Antonia Grifo ordered him held in lieu of an additional $150,000 bail.
Police were not immediately available to comment on Stanton’s status as a fugitive.
Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
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