Florence man faces 12+ charges after motel armed robbery

FLORENCE COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — A 26-year-old Florence man is facing a slew of charges after U.S. Marshals arrested him Tuesday on outstanding warrants that included armed robbery and assault, authorities said.

Direz Deon Washington had outstanding warrants with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office of first-degree burglary, criminal conspiracy, common law conspiracy, grand larceny, three counts of pointing/presenting a firearm at a person, three counts of armed robbery and three counts of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature.

According to authorities, on or about July 11, Washington and a co-defendant entered an occupied room at the Florence Express Inn in the 3000 block of TV Road. Washington allegedly “forcefully” took the victim’s personal items while he had a gun.

Washington was hit with four additional charges on Tuesday after authorities searched his bag and found a gun and “28-99 grams of an illegal substance while possessing a trafficking amount (53.93 grams) of white crystal-like substance consistent with methamphetamine.”

Washington remains in the Florence County Detention Center where he was booked Tuesday without bond.

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Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here .

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