Arrests made in Motel 6 robbery

Police have arrested two people in the case of a robbery and strangulation that occurred Wednesday afternoon at a Motel 6 on North Walnut Street, Bloomington Police Department Sgt. Joe Crider said.

Bennie Wesley Ferguson and Amanda Jo Biggs were arrested after allegedly robbing a 46-year old man who had called an escort service requesting a woman come to his room at the motel.

The man said that when the man answered the door, Biggs and Ferguson rushed into the room. Ferguson put the man in a headlock until the victim lost consciousness. When he awoke, his wallet with roughly $300 in cash, key fob and two cell phones were gone.

One cell phone was returned to police by Biggs. The other has yet to be recovered.

A BPD detective was given the name of the website used to request the escort by the victim. An ad for a woman of the site was identified by the victim as the woman he called. Police cross-referenced the number to that of Biggs.

She initially denied involvement when interviewed by police, saying she went to the motel but was given the wrong room number. She later recanted, though, and admitted that she had gone to the motel on the pretense of performing sexual favors but with an intent to rob the victim.

She also told police that she went with a man known only to her as "Big G," later determined to be Ferguson.

Ferguson told police he was contacted by police to assist in robbing the man of his money. He said Biggs picked him up at the bus terminal at Fourth and
Washington streets and admitted to putting the victim in a headlock.

Ferguson said he was given both cell phones and the key fob. He discarded the phones separately. He also told police there was an understanding that he would receive a cut of the money, but he did not specify how much.

Biggs was found with the money.

The pair was remanded to jail and charged.