Suspect charged in armed robberies at 7-Eleven, McDonald’s

MADISON HEIGHTS — Officials are praising the cross-agency teamwork that led to the arrest of a suspect in connection with armed robberies at two Madison Heights businesses.

The suspect is Derrick Hughes, 57, of Detroit. He was arraigned April 8 in the 43rd District Court in Madison Heights, charged with five counts of armed robbery — a felony punishable by up to life in prison or any number of years — and four counts of unlawful imprisonment, a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine. 

At press time, Hughes did not have an attorney, according to court records. He was denied bond and remained in custody. 

Police allege that Hughes was involved in armed robberies that occurred Jan. 13 and March 27, both in the city of Madison Heights. 

The Jan. 13 incident occurred shortly before 7 p.m. at the 7-Eleven convenience store located at 31752 John R Road. Hughes reportedly entered the store, produced a revolver and stole cash from the register before fleeing the scene. 

The March 27 incident occurred shortly after 8 p.m. at the McDonald’s restaurant located at 32787 John R. Here, Hughes is accused of threatening employees with a gun, gaining access to the register and store safe, and stealing cash. He also reportedly made four employees empty their pockets and ordered them into the men’s restroom before fleeing the scene. 

No injuries were reported in either incident.

The investigation involved the Madison Heights Police Department’s road patrol officers, detective bureau and Special Investigations Unit, as well as partner agencies at the FBI-Oakland County Gang and Violent Crime Task Force.

Law enforcement identified Hughes as the suspect and determined he had prior felony convictions including aggravated assault, armed robbery, bank robbery, and first-degree criminal sexual conduct. Hughes has also been listed as a parole absconder since Dec. 21, 2025. 

Madison Heights Police Lt. Scott Holdreith commended the work of all involved.

“This investigation is a strong example of teamwork and collaboration with our federal partners, which played a vital role in bringing this case to a successful resolution,” Holdreith said in an email.

Sean Fleming, a member of the Madison Heights City Council, said he feels it’s important that the city continues supporting those partnerships.

“We were able to hire more officers, which allowed us to participate in those endeavors,” Fleming said. “To continue doing that, we have to offer them competitive wages to retain them and keep the department well-staffed. That’s important to me. Keeping a certain head count is how we were able to bring back the (Special Investigations Unit) in the first place.”

Madison Heights Mayor Corey Haines previously served as the city’s police chief and currently serves as the police chief of Eastpointe. 

“Several years ago, we assigned an officer to (the Gang and Violent Crime Taskforce), and it’s still paying dividends today,” Haines said. “With serious crimes like armed robberies, we can leverage that relationship and gain access to more tools to assist in capturing the suspect. 

“In this case, it worked out perfectly: The suspect was taken into custody without incident, nobody was hurt, and (the suspect) was a parole absconder, so we resolved that, too,” Haines said. “Having those extra resources allowed us to resolve the situation as quickly and safely as possible.”

Call Staff Writer Andy Kozlowski at (586) 498-1046.