FORT WAYNE – Two brothers were arrested last week after one of them robbed two area pharmacies, taking thousands of dollars of painkillers the other intended to sell, federal and local authorities said.
Josiah Davis, 26, of Ashley, and Jonathan Davis, 18, of Delta, Ohio, were arrested by U.S. marshals, according to Allen County booking records.
Jonathan Davis is accused of the Aug. 15 robbery of a CVS pharmacy at 101 W. U.S. 6 in Ligonier and the Aug. 18 robbery of a CVS pharmacy at 13821 Leo Road in Leo-Cedarville, according to a criminal complaint filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Fort Wayne.
In both cases, Jonathan Davis entered the pharmacy, lifted his shirt to show employees he had a handgun and told them he had a bomb inside the store that would detonate if he was not immediately given all of the store’s OxyContin and Opana, court records said.
Both drugs are used to treat pain from injuries, arthritis and cancer. If crushed and then snorted, swallowed or injected, the prescription drugs produce a heroin-like high.
In the Ligonier robbery, Jonathan Davis took more than $4,400 worth of drugs. In the Leo-Cedarville robbery, he walked away with more than $12,900 worth of the same drugs, court records said.
Josiah Davis was arrested Wednesday when Allen County police officers pulled him over for speeding at Hessen Cassel Road and Village Court Drive. During a pat-down, officers found a non-prescribed bottle of OxyContin and Opana pills on Josiah Davis, court records said.
When officers searched the vehicle they found more than $2,000 cash hidden in cigarette packs, a bag of marijuana and 10 more pill bottles full of painkilling drugs. During questioning, Josiah Davis said he was selling the pills for profit, and that some of the pills came from the Leo-Cedarville robbery, court records said.
On Thursday, a federal agent went to an Ashley home to seek permission from Josiah Davis’ wife to search the vehicle Josiah Davis was driving before his arrest. Jonathan Davis answered the door and agreed to be interviewed, court records said.
During the interview, Jonathan Davis admitted to robbing both pharmacies. Officers searched the Ashley home and found several guns taken during a New Haven home burglary, along with a mask used in the armed robberies and several pill bottles, according to Sgt. Steve Stone, Allen County police spokesman.
Both Davis brothers are expected to appear in federal court Monday, he said.
Josiah Davis is charged with dealing marijuana, dealing a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance. Stone said Saturday that during a court appearance, Josiah Davis is expected to be charged with possession with intent to distribute and with being a felon in possession of a stolen weapon.
Stone said Jonathan Davis is expected to be charged with two counts of armed robbery.
