ALBEMARLE — A former Rowan County sheriff’s deputy is accused of robbing an Albemarle credit union and has been identified by the FBI as the man known as the “ball-cap bandit” responsible for a number of other bank robberies in the area.

On March 25, the Albemarle Police Department reported that a white man entered the State Employees’ Credit Union at 1600 N.C. 24/27 Bypass W. and demanded money. He was wearing a camouflage hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans and a dark-colored John Deere ball cap.

Officials said although the robber mentioned a gun, he never showed one. The teller gave the man some money, and the robber ran from the bank on foot.

On Thursday, authorities arrested Joshua McHone, 35, of the 400 block of Liberty Road, Gold Hill.

McHone was a Rowan County Sheriff’s Office deputy from May 2006 until May 2013, when he was terminated.

Authorities believe McHone robbed a Wells Fargo bank in Charlotte on March 25, the Albemarle credit union just hours later, and a BB&T on Poplar Tent Road in Concord on April 8.

Multiple law enforcement agencies assisted investigators in identifying McHone as the suspect including the FBI, State Bureau of Investigation, Lexington Police Department, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, Locust Police Department, Concord Police Department, Aberdeen Police Department, Davidson County Sheriff’s Office and Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office.

McHone is being held at the Davidson County Jail. His next court appearance is scheduled at 9 a.m. June 10.