POLK COUNTY -- Charges including armed robbery have been filed in Polk County Circuit Court against a 19-year-old and a 17-year-old following an incident during which two juveniles were allegedly robbed at gunpoint.
James Barnes-Morris (pictured), age 19, of Grantsburg, WI, and Nicholas Mulroy, age 17, of Siren, WI are both facing felony charges following the incident that occurred on July 10, 2019. Note: DrydenWire.com has requested the booking photo of Mr. Mulroy from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and is waiting for that to be released.
Polk County Law Enforcement received a report of a juvenile female being taken at gunpoint from a Holiday Gas Station in Amery, WI. Officers arrived on scene and spoke with juvenile witnesses who stated that several males inside a vehicle were attempting to take a bag from a juvenile female and left the parking lot with her hanging partially out of the vehicle.
While interviewing witnesses, Officers received information that the juvenile female was communicating to another juvenile via SnapChat and that she had stated that she was safely out of the vehicle and that Barnes-Morris and Mulroy had continued driving.
The criminal complaint states that prior to arriving at the Holiday Station, the juveniles had accepted a ride in a vehicle that Mulroy and Barnes-Morris were in including several other passengers.
When the vehicle arrived at the Holiday store, Barnes-Morris exited the vehicle, opened the door near one of the juveniles, cycled the pump action on a shotgun, pointed it at the juvenile and told the juvenile to get out and leave behind a bag holding a Nike brand windbreaker inside the vehicle, according to a criminal complaint filed against Barnes-Morris.
An alleged struggle with the juvenile female ensued during which she fought to retain possession of her own bag which contained several hundred dollars. When the vehicle left the parking lot of the Holiday store, she struggled to not fall out of the vehicle. Ultimately another individual inside the vehicle (who was not identified in the criminal complaint) took $400 out of the female’s bag, while Barnes-Morris held her down by the throat according to the criminal complaint.
Surveillance footage from the Holiday store apparently captured the incident and the vehicle that Mulroy and Barnes-Morris were in - a blue Jeep Liberty. The video footage allegedly shows the Jeep Liberty arrive in the parking lot, then shows one of the juveniles standing outside the vehicle after which a rear seat passenger exits the vehicle and approaches the juvenile outside the vehicle. After a brief period of time, the vehicle backed up and then left the parking lot with the rear driver’s side door open. The video captured a witness on scene throw something at the vehicle and run after it.
Within hours of the incident, Mulroy was in custody, and Barnes-Morris was taken into custody on July 11, 2019.
When interviewed by Officers, Barnes-Morris allegedly stated that the meeting with the juveniles was for the purpose of purchasing marijuana from the juveniles. Due to the fact that Barnes-Morris and Mulroy did not have the $100 to pay for the marijuana, they allegedly intended to steal the marijuana, according to the criminal complaint.
Barnes-Morris is charged with Class C Felony Armed Robbery (Party to a Crime), Class H Felony False Imprisonment (Party to a Crime), and Class H Felony Strangulation and Suffocation.
Charges of Class C Felony Armed Robbery (Party to a Crime), Class H Felony False Imprisonment (Party to a Crime) have also been filed against Mulroy.
The Court ordered a cash bond of $25,000 for Barnes-Morris and a cash bond of $15,000 for Mulroy.
At the time of this post, no further information has been made available to DrydenWire.com regarding any additional arrests stemming from this incident. Earlier today, however, the Amery Police Department posted on their facebook page stating that they are seeking the public’s help in the investigation:
“On Wednesday, July 10, 2019 at about 6:30 p.m. the Amery Police Department was dispatched to the Holiday gas station for a report that a juvenile female had been taken at gun point in a vehicle. The 17 year-old female was subsequently robbed and then released. Witnesses were able to provide vehicle information to law enforcement officers who then obtained driver and passenger information. With the assistance of the Polk County Sheriff’sDepartment and Burnett County Sheriff’s Department contact was made and interviews were conducted on the driver and a passenger of the suspect vehicle. Two adult arrests have been made. The Amery Police Department is still seeking other involved individuals. This is an isolated incident and there is no further threat of danger to the public. This was not a random act but was directed at certain individuals who had been in the company of the suspects. Juveniles also were involved. Questions remain about the motives of the suspects. Further details are not available at this time, as this case remains under investigation. If anyone has information regarding this incident please contact the Amery Police Department at (715) 268-7411.”
A conviction for Class C Felony Armed Robbery has a maximum penalty of 40 years imprisonment, $100,000 fine, or both. A conviction for Class H Felony False Imprisonment has a maximum penalty of 6 years imprisonment, $10,000 fine, or both.
Online circuit court records show that both Mulroy and Barnes-Morris had initial appearance hearings on July 12, 2019, in Polk County Circuit Court regarding their criminal charges. They are scheduled to appear again later in July.
Pursuant to the direction of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, as found in Supreme Court Rule 20:3.6, Trial Publicly, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Last Update: Jul 14, 2019 9:04 pm CDT
