BEAUMONT, Texas — A 20-year-old Beaumont man has been indicted on four counts of aggravated robbery in the first degree, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.
Authorities say Moses Ray Rhine Jr. "knowingly and intentionally" committed the offense of aggravated robbery at multiple convenience stores throughout Southeast Texas in a week. He was primarily identified due to a pair of navy blue sweat pants that authorities noticed he had worn during three armed robberies.
At the Jan. 12 robbery, at the Express Mart #4 off Highway 105 in Beaumont, Rhine held a semi-automatic handgun at a store clerk while another person demanded cash from the register. The other accomplice was on lookout at the front door. The three left the scene with about $281.88, according to authorities.
Rhine was wearing a black hoodie with a large Lisa Simpson picture on the back, navy blue sweat pants, dark colored shoes, and a white mask covering his face.
During the Jan. 18 robbery at Cowboy Travel Plaza in Hamshire, a gunman was seen on video wearing the same navy blue sweat pants as in the previous robbery. He was also wearing a black hoodie turned inside out and dark colored slide-on sandals. The gunman and two other suspects demanded money. The three left the scene after taking about $2,059 in cash.
While reviewing video, investigators saw a white Honda Pilot SUV driving through the parking lot minutes before the robbery took place. When shown still video images, Detective Phillip Smith with the Beaumont Police Department identified the gunman as Moses Ray Rhine Jr, due to previous interactions with him, according to an affidavit.
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On Jan. 19, during the robbery at a convenience store in Chambers County, the same tall man wearing navy blue pants was the gunman among two other suspects.
The white SUV was also seen on surveillance video footage. The license plate was identified as LALP #792BSE. Officers ran the registration and discovered it was a stolen vehicle out of Port Arthur. Local agencies were informed about the robberies and vehicle.
On Jan. 21, officers found the Honda SUV at a Beaumont home in the 1500 block of Elgie Street. The home was the last known address of Rhine, police say. When the SUV left the house, officers with the Beaumont Police Department were able to stop the vehicle after a brief car chase.
After the occupants got out of the vehicle, officers noticed a teenager wearing clothes that matched those worn by one of the suspects in the Chambers County robberies. The juvenile was interviewed and admitted to his involvement in the Chambers County robberies, police said.
The teen later told police all of the clothing that was worn during the robberies, and the tobacco products that were taken from the robberies, were all located inside of the house on Elgie Street.
A search warrant was then used at the Beaumont home, where police found the navy blue pants that were similar to the pants worn by the gunman in the three robberies. Investigators found a pair of Dragon Ball Z boxers worn on by the gunman in the Cowboy Travel Plaza robbery, as well.
Investigators also found tobacco products, a cardboard coin roll box, and a case of disposable e-cigarettes all matching or in similar appearance to what was taken from the Cowboy Travel Plaza.
