A joint investigation by the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office, Salisbury police, Federal Bureau of Investigation and others led to the arrest of a Laurel man accused of multiple armed bank robberies in the area.

Miles C. Charles, 43, was charged with armed robbery, robbery, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, theft between $10,000 and $100,000, use of a firearm in a violent felony and illegal possession of a firearm, according to Maryland State Police.

He’s in the Harford County Detention Center being held without bond, police said.

Charges from other jurisdictions are pending, police said.

The arrest was in connection with three armed bank robberies on the Eastern Shore. They occurred March 28 at Bank of Delmarva in Salisbury and April 16 and June 26 at Hebron Savings Bank in Vienna.

In each case, a man entered the bank with a handgun and pointed it at employees while demanding money, police said.

Investigators from Maryland State Police Criminal Enforcement Division Upper Shore Region, Salisbury City Police Department, Dorchester and Wicomico County Sheriffs’ Offices, plus the F.B.I worked together, compared leads and developed information that led to the arrest. State’s attorney’s offices in Wicomico and Dorchester counties were consulted, police said.

Multiple warrants were obtained for the suspect and he was arrested near the 1300 block of Harford Square Drive in Edgewood, Md., police said.

Salisbury man faces assault charges

A 43-year-old Salisbury man was charged with second-degree assault and related charged after an incident on Kathleens Terrace in Salisbury on July 18, according to Maryland State Police.

Dino Louis Caruso was also charged with second-degree assault on a police officer, reckless endangerment, failure to obey lawful order, driving under the influence and other traffic charges, police said.

Police said they responded to a call for a suspicious vehicle moving erratically and slowly through the development at 12:31 p.m.

The driver started on Kathleens Terrace and continued to Phillip Morris Drive at Route 50, police said.

Police said a trooper found a vehicle parked in the driveway of one of the residences. The driver was unconscious and the vehicle was still in drive.

The trooper awakened the driver, who put the vehicle in park.

While the trooper was speaking with him, the vehicle  fled.

The trooper followed the car to Route  50 and Phillip Morris Drive, where it went into the ditch, causing the operator to strike his head on the windshield.

A  man ran from the scene and was quickly apprehended, police said. Caruso was taken to Peninsula Regional Medical Center and treated for injuries, police said.

Armed robbery reported at phone store

Salisbury Police said they are looking for men who robbed the AT&T Wireless building on West Ruark Drive July 15 at 6:08 p.m.

Police said the armed robbery was committed after two men entered the store and displayed a handgun before ordering

employees and customers to the employee lounge. They demanded access to the inventory room and stole an undetermined number of Apple iPhone 5s and Samsung Galaxy S5 cell phones, police said.

Anyone with information should call police at 410-548-3165.

Police said they are looking for two men.

The first is described as being in his early 20s. He’s about 6 feet tall with a thin build and was wearing dark blue jeans, blue and white plaid long-sleeved shirt, a black hat with a red logo on front and white writing on the back and black Jordan shoes with white soles, police said.

He had a handkerchief over his face and was armed with an unknown make semi-automatic handgun.

Police said the second suspect was a black male in his early 20s, about 5 feet 10 inches with a thin build. He was wearing burgundy

pants, dark grey hooded sweatshirt, black flat-brimmed hat and black Chuck Taylor-style shoes. He had a black handkerchief over his face, over a goatee, police said.

Public warned of telephone fraud scheme

The Wicomico County State’s Attorney’s Office and FBI are warning Salisbury residents a local resident was called and the caller attempted to defraud him by pretending to be from the IRS.

State’s Attorney Matthew Maciarello said victims of calls are being told they owe money to the IRS and the debt must be paid immediately with a debit card or wire transfer.

Victims who refuse are threatened with arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver’s license and the caller is often hostile and insulting, Maciarello said.

A Salisbury man who complained to the state’s attorney’s office received a call and was told to go to a local drug store and buy money orders totaling $1786.24 to pay income taxes. He was warned not to tell anyone at the store the money orders were for the IRS, Maciarello said.

He was called on his cell phone and told to stay on the line to and from the drug store, the state’s attorney said.

Maciarello said an IRS official confirmed the organization does not ask for credit card numbers and initial contact is made by mail.

Maciarello further warned that scammers use fake names, could have the last four digits of a victim’s social security number and send false IRS e-mails.

He said anyone who gets a call should call the IRS  at 800-829-1040. Those who receive a call but don’t owe taxes should call the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 800-366-4484.

Victims can also call the Federal Trade Commission.