Two charged in robbery try

A New Kent County man and a Charles City County woman face felony charges in the aftermath of what Charles City authorities are labeling a strong-arm robbery.

James E. Brown Jr., 30, of 6455 Continental Can Road in New Kent, and Atralia C. King, 28, of 9130 Little Elam Road in Charles City, are charged with one count each of attempted armed robbery, use of a firearm in commission of a felony, and conspiracy to commit armed robbery in connection with a Nov. 22 incident involving a male victim.

Events began to unfold around 11:30 p.m. when the victim received a phone call from King, Charles City Sheriff’s Capt. Jayson Crawley said. King and the victim, whose name was not released, formerly had a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship, he said.

The pair agreed to meet and drove in King’s car to a secluded location near the James River on property owned by Shirley Plantation, Crawley said.

There a masked gunman approached the victim who was seated in the front passenger seat with the window rolled down. The gunman placed the barrel of shotgun against the victim’s neck and said, “Give me all you got,” Crawley said.

King, meanwhile, exited the car and ran screaming from the scene, Crawley said. The victim also got out of the car, grabbed the shotgun barrel, and engaged in a brief scuffle with the gunman.

The victim was struck on the head, but managed to get away, jump into the driver’s seat, and speed to a nearby residence from where he called police. The victim later told investigators that he recognized the gunman’s voice as belonging to Brown, who Crawley said is King’s fiancé.

In the meantime, King called the sheriff’s office to report her car stolen, Crawley said. Deputy Frank Crawley asked King to report to the sheriff’s office where she was questioned and later admitted to the robbery scheme, the captain said.

Both Brown and King were being held without bond in Riverside Regional Jail in Prince George County pending appearances last week in Charles City General District Court.

No shots were fired during the incident, and investigators have not recovered the shotgun, Jayson Crawley said. The victim received minor injuries and refused treatment, he added.