*Judge orders robbery suspect held without bond

View larger image Joshua James Steven Turner View larger image This is a surveillance still from Monday’s robbery at Handy Mart on Valley Avenue. Courtesy View larger image This is a surveillance still from Monday’s robbery at Handy Mart on Valley Avenue. Daily

By Candace Sipos -- csipos@nvdaily.com

WINCHESTER -- A Stephens City man who authorities say has confessed to robbing two convenience stores on Monday was ordered held without bond Thursday.

Joshua James Steven Turner, 26, appeared before Judge David S. Whitacre via video conferencing in Frederick County General District court Thursday. Turner was arrested Wednesday on warrants obtained by the Sheriff's Office with the assistance of the Northwest Regional Drug Task Force, according to Sgt. Frank Myrtle of the Winchester Police Department.

City police obtained warrants Thursday morning charging Turner in the subsequent robbery in Winchester, Myrtle said.

Turner is accused of robbing clerks at Bo's Express, 3612 Valley Pike, in Frederick County, and then Handy Mart, 2605 Valley Ave., Winchester, about three hours later.

County Commonwealth's Attorney Andrew M. Robbins requested that Whitacre not allow Turner bond, because the video of the county robbery "shows a significant amount of violence perpetrated against the clerk," he said.

Turner asked to be allowed bond, because he said he has "a severe drug addiction" and has been in contact with officials to start a 30-day rehabilitation program at Edgehill Recovery Retreat Center in the city.

"I'm not a flight risk of any kind," he said, disputing Robbins' claims of significant violence during the crimes. "I didn't have any weapons."

He said he hasn't been in any trouble with the law since he was 18, when he was charged with petty larceny, which he claims is the only crime on his record.

Robbins said he wasn't necessarily worried about Turner fleeing, but rather "the danger to the community," especially because Edgehill is not a secured facility.

Whitacre suggested that Turner get involved with the 90-day drug rehabilitation program at the jail.

He set Turner's preliminary hearing date for March 27 at 1 p.m.

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