CLEARFIELD – A DuBois man accused of robbing a local convenience store pleaded guilty to lesser charges Tuesday.
Jimmy Lee Gibbs, 24, was originally charged with felony robbery and terroristic threats in connection with an incident at the Snappy’s Convenience Store on the Bee Line Highway in Sandy Township on July 29, 2020.
Before Judge Paul E. Cherry on Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor theft by unlawful taking and was sentenced to six months to five years in state prison, according to court personnel.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, when officers arrived at the store, they were told the male suspect who was wearing all black with a black bandana around his face had fled on foot in an unknown direction.
Even though the officers had arrived only three minutes after the call for the robbery was made, when they pulled in the parking lot, they did not see anyone.
Additional officers arrived and the area was searched.
The clerk reported that after the suspect approached the counter with a drink, he passed a note ordering the clerk to empty the registers or he would “blow ya face off.” The clerk did as he was told, emptying all the registers and giving the suspect the money.
At no time did the clerk see a gun, he told police.
When the security footage was reviewed, police saw the suspect remove his left hand from his pocket revealing tattoos on his hand.
During the investigation, officers reviewed other security footage of patrons in the store and reportedly saw Gibbs, who matched the description of the suspect at 11:30 p.m.
Although he was wearing different clothes, the distinctive tattoos on his hand were visible, according to the criminal complaint.
Police noted his walk also matched the unusual walking pace of the suspect.
An officer who had previously spoken to Gibbs regarding an active warrant also recognized the tattoos as matching Gibbs’s tattoos.
A search warrant was issued for his residence in Treasure Lake where authorities reportedly found clothing that were the same as those worn by the robber.