Sarah Hawley

shawley@heartlandpublications.com

POMEROY — Both Alex Craig and Marcy Craig appeared in Meigs County Court on Thursday morning to answer charges in connection with three armed robberies at gas stations in Meigs County.

Alex Craig, 26, of Letart Falls, is charged with seven counts of kidnapping — second degree felonies — and three counts of aggravated robbery — first degree felonies.

Kidnapping is defined as restraining the liberty of an individual to facilitate a felony.

The three charges of aggravated robbery are in connection with the March 30 robbery of the TNT Pitstop in Syracuse, the April 2 robbery of the TNT Pitstop in Chester, and the April 10 robbery of the 124 Mart at the intersection of Ohio 7 and 124.

Alex Craig admitted to Meigs County Sheriff’s Deputy Adam Smith and Jackson County, W.Va., Sheriff’s Deputy Ross Mellinger during questioning on Wednesday morning that he had committed the three robberies in Meigs County, along with one in Mason County, W.Va., and Jackson County, W.Va.

Marcy Craig, 37, of Long Bottom, is charged with seven counts of complicity to kidnapping and three counts of complicity to aggravated robbery.

According to Meigs County Sheriff Robert Beegle, Marcy Craig admitted to driving her brother, Alex, to the three robberies in Meigs County.

The string of recent armed robberies in the area began on March 26 in Mason, W.Va., with the robbery of the Par Mar Convenience Store on Second Street. In the following two weeks, the TNT Pitstop in Syracuse, the TNT Pitstop in Chester, the J-Mart in Millwood, W.Va., and the 124 Mart near Pomeroy, were also robbed at gun point.

According to Beegle, a key point in solving the string of robberies was the use of surveillance video. One deputies was able to identify Alex Craig as a potential suspect after viewing the video from the robbery at the TNT Pitstop in Chester.

Bond for both Alex and Marcy Craig was set at $500,000 with 10 percent permitted.

Attorney Charles Knight was appointed to represent Alex Craig, while attorney Trenton Cleland was appointed to represent Marcy Craig.

Both Alex Craig and Marcy Craig are currently being housed in the Middleport Jail.

A preliminary hearing has been set for April 19 at 11:30 a.m.