Fugitive who escaped custody faces additional charges for pretending to be his brother
Published 12:50 pm Thursday, April 20, 2023
- Spencer police have released the correct name of man arrested Wednesday as Luther Alan Stanley. He initially gave police his brother's name. The list of charges has now grown to include identity theft as well as fugitive charges from Davidson County, where he previously escaped from deputies. Submitted photo
SPENCER — An Advance man who turned out to be a fugitive and who was arrested Wednesday on a litany of charges can now add identity theft to the list, for using his own brother’s name.
According to Spencer Police Chief Michael File, Luther Alan Stanley gave police his brother’s name of Robert Douglas Stanley when he was initially arrested. Robert Stanley is from Mocksville and was not the man arrested. Luther Alan Stanley was correctly identified after fingerprints and tattoo information was researched, and it is likely he gave a false name because he was a fugitive from justice, having escaped from Davidson County Sheriff’s Deputies in March.
On Thursday morning, Stanley was served with the Davidson County warrant and Spencer Detective T.C. Honeycutt, who made the initial arrest, added an additional charge of felony identity theft for using his brother’s name.
Luther Stanley was initially arrested Wednesday after a shoplifting attempt at Food Lion. When police arrived at the store, they were told Stanley had fled on foot after trying to steal more than $250 in groceries. He was arrested within 15 minutes. Review of security camera footage showed Stanley was driving a car that had been stolen from Davidson County earlier in the morning. Additionally, Stanley allegedly used the victim’s credit cards to make purchases in Woodleaf prior to coming to Spencer.
Stanley is already charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, obtaining property by false pretenses, identity theft, felony possession of schedule I, felony assault on a law enforcement agency animal, larceny, resisting arrest, and various additional misdemeanor charges.
He was originally held on a $50,000 secured bond and remains in custody.
Spencer Police Department would like to thank Salisbury PD, Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, and East Spencer PD for their assistance during the foot pursuit and subsequent arrest.