
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, February 2, 1995                   TAG: 9502030021
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: DIANE STRUZZI
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

WOMAN, 27, ARRESTED IN 2 BANK ROBBERIES

A 27-year-old woman told police she was a drug user struggling to make ends meet after they arrested her and accused her of being the woman who walked into two Roanoke County banks this week and robbed them.

Police said Loretta Lynn Jessee of Southeast Roanoke told them she was high on cocaine, marijuana and alcohol and remembered little of Tuesday's robbery of the Central Fidelity Bank branch at 4143 Franklin Road, Roanoke County Detective Jeff Herrick said.

And she told of a similar experience Wednesday at Southwest Virginia Savings Bank, where, police say, a robber handed a typewritten note to a teller saying she had a gun and wanted the cash drawers.

Police arrested Jessee shortly after that noon robbery. A resident of the Cedar Ridge apartment complex called Roanoke County police after seeing the suspect in the parking lot. She was counting the money when a dye packet - placed in the bag by bank workers - exploded and sprayed ink on her, Herrick said.

Jessee was charged with two counts of robbery and two counts of using a gun in a robbery. Police did not find a gun, but because the robber said she had a gun both times, Jessee was charged with the firearm violations.

In Tuesday's hold-up, the robber handed a note to the teller demanding cash, saying she had a gun and a bomb in her car.

Police recovered the money taken in that holdup after Jessee told them where it was, Herrick said.

Jessee was being held in Roanoke County Jail on $5,000 bond.

by CNB