EARNEST
RAINES
By Adam Armour
Itawamba County Times
Officials with the Itawamba County Sheriff’s Department have released the names of two suspects in a Thanksgiving Day armed robbery.
Michael Shane Earnest, 23, of 129 Kornegay Drive, Fulton, and Corey Lee Raines, 23, of 6750 Dorsey Evergreen Road, Fulton, have both been charged with armed robbery and failure to stop for a law enforcement officer. The two are accused of robbing a residence in the Carolina community on Thanksgiving Day.
Raines also faces several additional charges, including possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and disregard for a traffic device.
Both suspects have received initial court appearances and had bonds set: Earnest at $50,000 and Raines at $100,000. Both are being held at Itawamba County Jail.
According to Itawamba County investigator Mike Newlin, who is handling the case, the suspects are accused of allegedly breaking into the residence, accosting the owner and then fleeing the scene, taking several items with them.
Deputies met and tried to stop the vehicle while responding to the call, but the suspects reportedly fled from them. What followed was a short pursuit, which ended when the suspects lost control of their vehicle, driven by Raines, and left the road. The vehicle struck a pole, injuring one of the suspects who had to be transported to the North Mississippi Medical Center for treatment. He was released the same day and taken to Itawamba County Jail.
The victim of the crime was reportedly taken to North Mississippi Medical Center for treatment of injuries sustained during the robbery. He has since been released from the hospital.
Investigators initially withheld much of the information about the alleged robbery while the investigation was still ongoing.