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Rite Aid robbery suspect under investigation by DEA

MARIETTA — The identity of the armed man who robbed the Marietta Rite Aid earlier this month is still not being released, due to an ongoing federal investigation.

The suspect was arrested on Dec. 7 by federal law enforcement agencies in northern Ohio, according to the Marietta Police Department. Capt. Aaron Nedeff said the organization was the Drug Enforcement Administration and that the MPD was waiting on the conclusion of its investigation before acting.

“It’s in the hands of the DEA,” he said. “We don’t want to mess up their investigation.”

Nedeff said the suspect may be responsible for and be facing charges in up to six armed robberies in Pennsylvania and was waiting until that investigation was done before the MPD starts its own.

“We may end up filing charges down here,” he said. “We will wait and see what happens with (the federal investigation).”

During the early evening hours of Dec. 2, the suspect entered the Rite Aid Pharmacy at 301 Greene St. with a handgun. He proceeded to the pharmacy and tried to have the pharmacist open the store safe. When the pharmacist told the robber that the store didn’t have a safe, the man pistol whipped the pharmacist and robbed the store before fleeing.

Nedeff said the MPD will release the suspect’s name before the end of the year.

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