Gwinnett County

Former Auburn WR arrested, accused of robbing Chinese restaurant at gunpoint

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Former Auburn University wide receiver Myron Burton Jr. made his first court appearance Monday after Duluth police arrested him on armed robbery charges.

The 21-year-old was arrested Friday after investigators served a search warrant at his Duluth apartment.

A spokesman with the Duluth Police Department told Channel 2's Michael Seiden that Burton Jr. stormed into China Taste on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard on Tuesday, pointing a semiautomatic pistol at the owner while demanding cash. Police said he got away with $300.

Surveillance video from inside the restaurant and a neighboring Publix helped police identify him as the suspect.

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“When officers spotted a tattoo on the suspect’s arm, they were able to put it into a system that showed he had been arrested in the past, which ultimately led to a positive identification,” said Officer Ted Sadowski.

Burton, Jr. is also facing a charge of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

A judge ordered Burton Jr. to be held without bond.

After redshirting as a freshman in 2014, Burton , Jr. was named the offensive most valuable player of the 2015 A-day spring game after finishing with seven catches for 124 yards and a touchdown, according to the Montgomery Advertiser.

Burton Jr. played his high school football at Peachtree Ridge High School in Lawrenceville.