Article Preview: Alleged robbers smoked pot, posted on Facebook during standoff, police say - MailTribune.com - Medford, OR

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2016-01-16

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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation  |  Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED   » NEWS NOW   Alleged robbers smoked pot, posted on Facebook during standoff, police say       ...       Central Point police seek attempted murder suspect       ...       UPDATED: Standoff ends with two arrests in Wilson Elementary neighborhood       ...       Alleged robbers smoked pot, posted on Facebook during standoff, police say       ...       Central Point police seek attempted murder suspect       ...       UPDATED: Standoff ends with two arrests in Wilson Elementary neighborhood       ...           Alleged robbers smoked pot, posted on Facebook during standoff, police say By Anita Burke Mail Tribune Follow @@aburke_reporter MailTribune.com By Anita Burke Mail Tribune Follow @@aburke_reporter Posted Jan. 13, 2016 @ 10:50 am By Anita Burke Mail Tribune Follow @@aburke_reporter Posted Jan. 13, 2016 @ 10:50 am »  Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> Two young men who reportedly stole more than three pounds of marijuana during an armed robbery Tuesday apparently spent the afternoon smoking their stolen loot while officers circled outside and locked down a nearby elementary school, Medford police said. "Our conversations with them indicated they were using drugs," Medford police Lt. Mike Budreau said. "They said they would come out, but they wanted to cook some food first, which is a pretty strange response when police are outside your home on a P.A. system." Officers were called to the 1500 block of Grand Avenue in east Medford around 2 p.m. Tuesday. Two men reported that they had been robbed when they went to a vacant house to sell marijuana to two people they had met on Facebook. Construction workers in the area also called police when they saw a pair of suspicious men running and jumping fences. Budreau said there was a report of what sounded like a gunshot as the men fled, but investigators haven't confirmed whether a gun was fired. The men who had been robbed told police that Nicholas Ryan Brod, 19, who also uses the last name Edwards, and Jesse Eugene Howe, 18, had planned to buy marijuana from them. Howe had sought a seller on a Facebook page dedicated to marijuana, then the deal had been arranged via private messages on the network, Budreau said. Police said the pair used their real names to arrange the illicit deal. When the four met at the vacant house on Grand Avenue, Howe showed a handgun and Brod pulled out a knife. The pair stole a bag filled with marijuana and ran north, jumping over fences, police said. Investigators determined that Howe lived just down the block. Police surrounded his house and officers used a megaphone to talk to the pair inside. Budreau said the two agreed to come out after they made some food, but then never emerged. They did post pictures of themselves apparently smoking marijuana on Facebook during the 2½-hour standoff, police said. Shortly after 4:30 p.m., detectives got a search warrant and a SWAT team member opened a window to talk to Howe and Brod. After this conversation they came out and were arrested without incident, Budreau said. Detectives searched the home and found 3.37 pounds of marijuana and a .45-caliber handgun they suspect was used during the robbery. Brod and Howe were lodged in the Jackson County Jail on two counts of first-degree robbery and charges of first-degree theft and unlawful possession of marijuana. Both remained in jail Wednesday morning with bail set at more than $2 million. Medford police said the Jackson County District Attorney's Office would review the case to see whether the robbery victims would face charges related to possession and distribution of drugs. Because the robbery and standoff happened around the time students were getting out of nearby Wilson Elementary School, the school was placed on precautionary lockdown around 2:15 p.m. Tuesday. Medford police sent school resource officers to the campus to help coordinate the release of students. Parents were required to come pick up children. By Anita Burke Mail Tribune Follow @@aburke_reporter MailTribune.com By Anita Burke Mail Tribune Follow @@aburke_reporter Posted Jan. 13, 2016 @ 10:50 am » Comment or view comments   Terms of Service /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ »  STAY INFORMED   Email NewsLetter   Sign Up Today   Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed   Email newsletter   Sign Up Today   Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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