A fingerprint tied a Denton area man to three armed robberies, Denton police say, and they arrested him Thursday night with the aid of the Joint Eastern Texas Fugitive Task Force.
Yahshue Williams, 21, remained in city jail Friday, and police said they expect him to be arraigned today.
Lt. Scott Langford said Friday that Denton’s crime scene team found a fingerprint at one of the three Dollar General Stores that have been robbed since early May. Two of the stores were robbed May 5 and the third was robbed July 16. Video surveillance tape from all three locations confirmed that the same man was responsible for the robberies.
Three clerks told police that a man walked into the store, lifted his shirt to reveal a weapon and demanded money from the safe and cash drawer. The man was calm and seemed to know where the money was located in the stores.
He wore black clothing and black caps in either stripes or checks.
After a computer check connected the fingerprint to Williams, detectives completed an investigation and obtained an arrest warrant.
On Thursday night, Denton officers, some of whom are cross-trained as federal officers, went with other members of the federal fugitive task force to the Paloma Creek area and arrested Williams at his home.
He has so far been charged with one count of aggravated robbery, but Langford said he expected at least two more charges to be filed against him.
“We recovered a look-alike gun we believe he used in the robberies and other evidence that ties him into the robberies,” Langford said.
Williams has no prior criminal history and has no apparent history with the chain of discount stores, he said.
DONNA FIELDER can be reached at 940-566-6885. Her e-mail address is dfielder@dentonrc.com.
