Ponzi suspect remains in jail

Trooper R.L. Grammer Jr. (right), of the Virginia State Police, directs Trooper Trainee S.D. Starkes during a traffic control training exercise last week. The 23 Virginia State Police Academy trainees each had to direct traffic for about 10 minutes at the intersection of Genito Road and Charter Colony Parkway.

A 23-year-old Chesterfield County man will remain in jail as he awaits trial for allegedly bilking 350 people out of $8 million through a Ponzi scheme.

Federal Judge Richard L. Williams ruled in favor of the prosecution on Sept. 25 to keep James E. Brown Jr. behind bars, noting that more than $450,000 is still missing and one of Brown's charges involves a firearm.

Brown faces mail fraud and firearms charges in U.S. District Court, and could serve up to 30 years in prison if convicted.

Federal authorities say Brown used his business, Brown Investment Services, to operate a Ponzi scheme, promising to double investors' money every six weeks through currency trading. Child freed from beneath fallen

tree

Chesterfield County Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel freed a child trapped beneath a fallen tree last week.

Upon arriving to a residence in the 6700 block of Hill Road shortly before 1 a.m. on Sept. 25, fire and rescue crews discovered a juvenile male pinned beneath a portion of a tree that had fallen into the home during a strong storm.

Crews stabilized the tree and were able to extract the child around 3 a.m. He was transported to VCU Medical Center with injuries that were not life-threatening. .

Suspect charged in robbery

A Richmond man was arrested last week in connection with an Aug. 10 robbery attempt at the McDonald's restaurant, located at 7400 Hull Street Road.

Jarrell D. Easter, 18, of the 3900 block of Patsy Ann Drive in

Richmond, is charged with robbery, abduction and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. He is being held in the Chesterfield County Jail pending a hearing on Nov. 20 in Chesterfield County General District Court.

The incident occurred at about 11:45 p.m. after the suspect smashed the drive-through window and entered the building. Once inside, the manager was forced to open the safe and employees were told to place the money in a bag. The suspect fled the store without the money once officers arrived on scene.

Police continue to investigate robberies, which occurred at this same location on Aug. 31 and Sept. 25 and 26. Anyone with information about these robberies should call Chesterfield County Police at 748-1251 or Crime Solvers at 748- 0660.