Armed Robbery Suspect Arrested

 From David Barrow, Assistant to the Mayor's Office

    East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Detectives on Monday arrested a former employee of the Domino’s Pizza at the corner of Sullivan & Greenwell Springs Rd and accused him of participating in an “inside job” armed robbery of the business on December 20, 2010. 

    Brian Keith Butler, Jr., age 19, 12551 England Ave, was fired from the take-out pizza restaurant on December 13.  According to an affidavit of probable cause, Butler returned to the restaurant on December 20, claiming that he left some personal belongings at the business.  The manager informed deputies later that Butler was acting suspicious.  He noticed that Butler had parked his car behind the building on the opposite side. 

    At approximately 10:30 pm, the manager unlocked the main door to let Butler out. When he did, two armed robbers were waiting outside with bandanas over their face.   One was armed with a long gun and the other with a knife.  Butler and the manager were ordered to lie on the floor.  The manager was instructed to open “the deposit safe not the change safe” according to the affidavit.   It is noted that only an employee or former employee would have known that there were two separate safes. 

    The robbers instructed the manager to give them his personal possessions and any valuables, but they never took anything from Butler.  The robbers then fled, as did Butler, although the manager asked him to stay.

     A few hours later, Baton Rouge police pulled over Butler’s vehicle for a traffic violation.  Two men were in the car with Butler.  After talking to them, officers noticed a rifle in the backseat.  Also, one of the passengers matched a description of one of the armed robbers that was broadcast over the radio. 

    Butler was arrested on one count of Armed Robbery.  One of his passengers, Christopher Curtis Johnson, 21, was also arrested on one count of armed robbery and one count of a felon in possession of a firearm.   The other person in the car was not arrested.  There was no information in the affidavit regarding the third person involved in the robbery.