Coast couple arrested after husband implicates wife in robbery, police say

A husband and wife were arrested last weekend after police said they confronted a woman at her home in Gulfport and stole a handgun from her purse.

Officers were called after 4 p.m. Friday to the 3300 block of 19th Street, Gulfport police said in a news release.

Police said Justin Donniell Easterling, 29, took the handgun from the purse and left the home.

Officers created a perimeter and used a police K-9 to arrest Easterling. Police said he admitted to the robbery under questioning and also implicated his wife, Brittany Nichole Higgins, 26.

Easterling and Higgins each face one count of strong-arm robbery. Police said Higgins later admitted to taking the purse because the couple knew it held a handgun, which they wanted to sell or trade for narcotics.

Easterling and Higgins were held on Monday in the Harrison County jail on $100,000 bonds.

Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to call the Gulfport Police Department at 228-868-5959 or Mississippi Crime Stoppers at 877-787-5898.