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City man held for robbery, assault

Brown allegedly threatened victim, stole from FeFi’s

A city man who faces robbery charges in one case and assault charges in another is behind bars after police found him hiding in a third-floor storage area in a home on the 300 block of North Seventh Avenue.

Christain Thomas Malique Brown, 25, is accused of threatening a female victim about 5:36 a.m. Wednesday when they were looking for an associate of Brown’s.

The victim told police Brown became angry when they failed to find the associate and he attacked her, placing a knife against her neck and threatening to kill her. The victim said he cut her hands and at one point pushed her to the ground and yelled, “Which one do you want, the knife or the fist?”

The victim was able to get up and flee the area, police reported. She found a female getting into a car and asked for a ride to Altoona Police Department, where police contacted AMED to assess her wounds.

Police said while at APD, multiple people came in and out of the office and the victim jumped up to see who was at the door or asked officers who came in. Court documents stated that based on these reactions, the victim was in fear for her life.

While talking with police, the victim asked if officers took a report of a robbery at FeFi’s, adding that Brown was seen with a large amount of money that he claimed to have stolen from the Howard Avenue store.

An officer investigating the Oct. 2 robbery talked with the assault victim, who said Brown told her Sunday that he had stolen money from FeFi’s.

According to her account, Brown said he put $40 in a skill machine but it only registered $20. He argued with the employee about getting his money back, then jumped over the counter and took a black lock box containing money. He ditched his black North Face jacket in a wooded area behind Thompson’s Pharmacy and the rest of his clothing was hidden in the attic area of the Seventh Avenue house. The woman told police he got $450. She also described the clothes and sneakers he would have been wearing, court documents state.

When police responded to FeFi’s about the robbery on Sunday, the suspect was identified as wearing a black North Face jacket, a black hooded sweatshirt with an unknown white design, black pants, a black beanie style hat and multi-colored sneakers. The suspect did not display a weapon but stated, “Give me my money or we’ll go outside and I’ll kill you,” court documents state. He then jumped over the counter and took the money box containing $2,000 to $3,000 in $20s, $10s, $5s and $1s for the skill machines, FeFi’s reported.

Police located the black lock box after a witness reportedly found it in a trash bin.

Using the assault victim’s account and description of the robbery suspect’s clothes, police obtained a search warrant for the North Seventh Avenue home. Officers went to the home about 3:51 p.m. Wednesday, knocking on the door and announcing their presence. Because officers saw Brown enter the residence shortly before knocking, forced entry was made, court documents state. Brown was located on the third floor, hiding in a small storage area with a piece of plywood concealing him. He was taken into custody on outstanding warrants for domestic violence and aggravated assault, police reported.

During a search of the home, police located clothes consistent with the robbery suspect. In a backpack belonging to Brown, police found three digital scales, three plastic containers with suspected marijuana, a glass jar with multiple small zip top bags, a pill container with small white pills labeled EP362, later identified as fluoxetine hydrochloride, a knotted sandwich bag with about 1 gram of white powdery substance consistent with cocaine or fentanyl that would have a street value of $500 to $1,000, and a Pennsylvania and New York identification card for Brown. In addition, the sneakers Brown was wearing when he was arrested were consistent with the sneakers worn by the robbery suspect, police reported.

In an interview with police, Brown admitted to taking the money from FeFi’s after they would not return the money he had put in the skill machine. He told police “they did me wrong” and “they got what they deserved,” according to court documents.

Police said Brown was shown a photo of the robbery suspect from surveillance video and identified himself, telling police “that’s me,” the report states. He told police he already spent the money on food for him and his girlfriend.

Brown was arraigned Thursday morning before Magisterial District Judge Fred B. Miller on felony aggravated assault along with misdemeanor counts of terrorist threats and simple assault and a summary charge of harassment for the domestic incident. Bail was set at $50,000.

He was also arraigned before Miller on Thursday for the robbery case. In that case, he faces felony charges of robbery, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, flight to avoid apprehension and possession with intent to deliver, along with misdemeanor charges of tampering with evidence, possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail was set at $75,000.

Unable to post bail in either case, he was remanded to the Blair County Prison. His preliminary hearings are set for Oct. 19 before Magisterial District Judge Daniel C. DeAntonio.

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