Bond denied for man police say masterminded Richburg McDonald’s robbery

A judge denied bond Friday for the alleged ringleader of the November armed robbery of a Richburg McDonald’s – a crime prosecutors say was an inside job.

Shots were fired during the robbery, but no one was injured. The crime shocked people in the busy commercial corridor along Interstate 77 before investigators said they believed it was an inside job – a scheme to fool police and steal $2,500 from the business.

At about 1 a.m. Nov. 25, police responded to a report of two masked men robbing employees at the restaurant on S.C. 9. Police found two employees, including the younger brother of the man police think coordinated the scheme, in the stall of the men’s restroom.

Prosecutor Julie Hall said in court Friday that Ricky Gordon, 28, controlled the robbery and fired the shots. He was free on bond but facing charges of other violent crimes at the time and has a criminal record dating back a decade that includes convictions for drugs, assault, domestic violence and other charges after being arrested at least 20 times, court records show.

Hall told Circuit Court Judge Brian Gibbons that Gordon should stay jailed until the case is tried because he is a danger to the Chester community and had violated a previous bond.

Gibbons agreed and denied Gordon bond, but he set a $25,000 bond for Gordon’s brother, Roderick Gordon, 20, who worked at the restaurant but was not on shift at the time.

Hall told the judge that Roderick Gordon confessed to the crime and implicated his brother and two others. Roderick Gordon has previous arrests for drug offenses, records show.

Police on Monday arrested another McDonald’s employee, Sheila Kelly, 25, on a charge of armed robbery with a deadly weapon. She was released after posting a $10,000 bond, according to court documents and testimony. Kelly has previous convictions for assault and battery, drug possession, shoplifting and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, State Law Enforcement Division records show.

“She knew something was going to happen and was alerted to leave,” Hall said in court.

A 16-year-old also charged with armed robbery is being held at the state Department of Juvenile Justice.

This story was originally published January 16, 2015 at 1:57 PM with the headline "Bond denied for man police say masterminded Richburg McDonald’s robbery."