Two Washington County men arrested in connection with robbery

Matthew Adair (left) and Collins Barnett
Matthew Adair (left) and Collins Barnett

FAYETTEVILLE -- Farmington police say two men were arrested on charges of armed robbery after a juvenile was held at gunpoint during a $100 marijuana deal arranged on Snapchat.

Collins Barnett, 18, of 12311 Richardson Road in Farmington, was arrested Thursday in connection with aggravated robbery and theft by receiving.

Matthew Adair, 20, of 70 Dogwood Lane in West Fork, was arrested for aggravated robbery. Both men were being held Friday in the Washington County Detention Center with no bond set.

Police received a call Tuesday reporting the robbery, according to a Farmington Police Department report. The caller, a male juvenile, wasn't identified in the report. The caller told police the robbery happened on Jan. 13 around 11:10 p.m near the intersection of Canary Drive and Broyles Street. The caller said he had scheduled a transaction using Snapchat with an unknown man to buy marijuana and that he had bought marijuana from the same man in 2019.

According to the caller, three people arrived in a car to pick him up. After he was in the car, a man in the front passenger side, later identified as Barnett, pointed an AR-15 style rifle at the caller, according to the report. The driver, later identified as Adair, pointed a Taser at him, the boy told police. Barnett reportedly told the boy to hand over his money. Afterward, he was told to get out of the car, according to the report.

Police obtained a phone number from the boy and linked it to Adair. The boy identified Barnett in a photo lineup as the man who had been armed with the AR-15.

Police obtained a search warrant for Adair's residence. He was arrested after the search. Adair's car was identified as the one used in the robbery and an AR-15 was found in the trunk, police said.

A handgun that was also found in the trunk was later determined to have been stolen.

Adair reportedly told police Collins was his cousin and had moved in with him. He told police he commonly drove Barnett to meet customers in drug transactions, and they would divide the money.

Adair said they kept the AR-15 in the car "for protection only" when they were selling marijuana.

NW News on 01/18/2020

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