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A city man and his nephew have been arraigned for three separate cases involving alleged armed robberies the two committed with a weapon a witness believes they share, city police say.
Jesse Giddings, 33, of 332 Locust St., allegedly robbed Boost Mobile and Family Dollar with a gun in two separate incidences, and arraigned in a separate case for allegedly robbing Your Choice Discount with a gun.
Meanwhile, his nephew, Nigel Staten-Chambers, 17, of 277 West Third Street, was arraigned in a third case for allegedly trying to rob a pizza delivery man from Old School Pizza, and firing shots into the pizza delivery vehicle when the delivery driver fled the scene.
Two of the three affidavits for the cases said both Giddings and Staten-Chambers allegedly carried a silver and black firearm during all of the incidents. Brittany Alexander, a city police agent, allegedly found a black and silver Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol in the last residence Staten-Chambers was seen exiting before he was taken into custody for an unrelated gun incident Dec. 1. The pistol was allegedly previously identified as stolen by State Police in Milton.
Additionally, a witness interviewed by Laura Kitko, a city police agent, for one of Giddings' cases alleged that "Staten-Chambers obtained a silver and black handgun that he shared possession of with Giddings."
That same witness identified Staten-Chambers as Giddings' nephew.
Staten-Chambers is a minor and cannot legally carry a concealed firearm, while Giddings was found guilty of robbery in 2007, making it illegal for him to possess a firearm.
Giddings allegedly stole around 14 iPhone 12s, valued at just short of $7,000, and $587 from Boost Mobile on Hepburn Street Nov. 12 at around 7 p.m., Kitko said.
In that same affidavit, Kitko said Giddings allegedly stole $220 and four cartons of cigarettes from Family Dollar on West Fourth Street Nov. 16 at around 7 p.m.
In both incidents, police allege Giddings displayed a black and silver pistol, and told the employees at the stores to stay on the ground while they left.
Giddings allegedly gave the stolen phones to family members and acquaintances, including Staten-Chambers. Staten-Chambers gave the phone to a witness who turned it in, while another relative turned another five stolen phones in, according to Kitko.
According to Kitko, the first person to turn in one of the stolen phones alleged "a lot" of Giddings' family members were in possession of the stolen phones. She also allegedly said State-Chambers told her Giddings is responsible for both robberies, according to police. Finally, she allegedly said she knew Giddings could not afford all the phones, Kitko said.
Giddings was arraigned by judge William Solomon, who denied bail, on Dec. 18 for charges of robbery, aggravated assault, theft, concealed-carrying a firearm without a license, possessing a firearm against a court order, receiving stolen property, recklessly endangering another person and possessing a weapon.
City police reviewed the GPS locator on Giddings' ankle monitor, which indicated he was present at both Boost Mobile and Family Dollar the time of the robberies.
In the second active case Giddings is charged in, Giddings allegedly robbed the Your Choice Discount on Washington Boulevard Nov. 25 at around 7:20 a.m., according to Alexander.
Giddings allegedly told an employee he placed $20 in the PA Skills Machine and received no credits. When she began to walk away to get a supervisor, Giddings allegedly grabbed her by the shirt, and when she turned around, he allegedly pulled out a gun, police said.
"If you make a scene, I'm going to shoot you and the guy that walked in," Giddings allegedly told the victim, police said.
Giddings allegedly stood back as the employee removed $431 from the register, and demanded she give him a carton of cigarettes, valued at $98.60, before he left the store.
Giddings was arraigned a second time by judge Aaron Biichle, who also denied bail, on Dec. 29 for robbery, aggravated assault, theft, carrying a firearm without a license, possession of a firearm while prohibited, receiving stolen property, recklessly endangering another person, possession of a weapon, and making terroristic threats.
Staten-Chambers allegedly fired three 9mm shots into the vehicle of a pizza delivery man from Old School Pizza Nov. 21 at around 11 p.m., according to Alexander.
According to the third affidavit in this story, Staten-Chambers called in a delivery to Old School Pizza on a phone belonging to another minor. As the driver approached with the delivery, he alleged he saw someone retreat into the shadows and another person between parked cars.
According to police, the driver felt "something was amiss" and drove away, allegedly hearing five gun shots as he did so. When the driver returned to the store, he found three bullet holes in the rear-driver side of the vehicle.
When police searched 966 Market St. with a warrant, they allegedly found the black and silver Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol.
The minor who lent his phone, identified in the affidavit as juvenile witness No. 1, allegedly admitted to allowing Staten-Chambers to call in the pizza from Old School Pizza. He said he heard yelling and screaming, alongside multiple gunshots, before Staten-Chambers allegedly returned without food.
A second minor, identified as juvenile witness No. 2, alleged they overheard occupants inside 966 Market St. encouraging Staten-Chambers to not use his gun while committing the robberies. Additionally, the minor alleged they provided Staten-Chambers with the Smith and Wesson 9mm Alexander recovered from the building.
A third minor, juvenile witness No. 3, told Alexander he allegedly overheard Staten-Chambers admit to robbing the pizza man during a conversation at 630 Fifth Ave. on Nov. 29.
Staten-Chambers was arraigned by District Judge Aaron Biichle, who denied bail, on Dec. 30 on charges of attempted criminal homicide, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a minor, receiving stolen property, carrying a firearm without a license, possession of a weapon, recklessly endangering another person, criminal mischief, and propelling a missile into an occupied vehicle.
Staten-Chambers is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Jan. 8 before Biichle as well. Both are being held in the Lycoming County Prison until their hearings.