On January 13 at approximately 10:58 a.m., Eugene Police responded to CJ’s Deli located at 45 Division Avenue for a report of an armed robbery. An initial search for the suspect was unsuccessful. After a complex and rapidly evolving investigation by the Eugene Police Property/Financial Crimes Unit, the suspect was identified. Detectives also discovered the employee/complainant of the robbery was also involved and complicit in the crime.
The location of the two suspects was identified while a search warrant was being prepared. The employee, Malakii Duke Loveall, age 27, of Springfield, was observed driving away and was subsequently arrested after a traffic stop on Beltline. The second suspect, Joseph Louis Smallwood, age 26, of Eugene, was also arrested during a later traffic stop on Division Avenue. A search warrant was served later that night at Smallwood’s apartment, where evidence of the crime was recovered. Detectives were able to recover the substantial amount of cash that was stolen from CJ’s Deli.
Loveall was charged with Criminal Conspiracy, with additional charges anticipated. Smallwood was charged with Aggravated Theft in the First Degree, with additional charges anticipated. Case 22-00760