Bradenton police arrest suspect in 2 bank robberies

Bradenton police have arrested a suspect in the bank hold-ups in the past week in Bradenton and Sarasota.

Convicted felon Ray W. Frierson of Bradenton was arrested by the Bradenton Police Department late Thursday and charged with the armed robbery on Saturday at the Chase Bank branch on Manatee Avenue East. He was arrested in the 2000 block of First Street East in Bradenton without incident, police said.

A tipster identified Frierson after police released images and footage from video surveillance of the robber and his vehicle.

He also has been charged with robbing a Well Fargo Bank branch on Bee Ridge Road on Wednesday, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.

Police say Frierson has confessed to both robberies.

In both robberies, investigators say Frierson implied he had a gun, but never displayed a weapon before fleeing with undisclosed amounts of cash.

Frierson was released from a Florida prison Jan. 5, after serving about seven years and two months for multiple convictions, including for four counts of armed robbery, one count of conspiracy to armed robbery, robbery by sudden snatching and and grand theft of more than $300 and less than $5,000.

Prior to that, Frierson had only been freed from prison about six months after having served three years and six months for convictions for aggravated assault. In another previous prison stint, Frierson served about a year and 11 months for convictions of burglary to an occupied dwelling, grand theft of more than $300 but less than $5,000 and transmitting contraband to a jail or prison.

This story was originally published June 3, 2016 at 9:37 AM with the headline "Bradenton police arrest suspect in 2 bank robberies."