A Fort Wayne man will serve up to seven years in prison after robbing a Dollar General Store in Kosciusko County.
45-year-old Edward Smith of Fort Wayne pleaded guilty May 25 to one count of robbery with a deadly weapon.
Smith entered a Dollar General on April 6, 2016, and robbed the store at gunpoint for $868, according to court records. The female cashier said she was scared for her life, as Smith told her it would be all right and to empty both registers.
Kosciusko County Superior Court I Judge David Cates handed down the sentence.
Smith’s lawyer Joe Sobek said Smith wanted to withdraw his guilty plea and apply for a new lawyer. Smith said it was a misunderstanding and he was ready for the case to move forward. He said he was happy with Sobek as a lawyer.
Smith asked the Judge to be lenient.
“I look really bad on paper … I’m not that guy,” he said.
Judge Cates disagreed.
“You say you’re not that guy, but your criminal history says differently,” Cates said.
Cates pointed to Smith’s long criminal history including many other theft convictions, including one in Ohio.
Cates sentenced Smith to 12 years is prison with five years suspended on probation. He ordered the sentence to be consecutive to any other pending or current crimes Smith is doing time for.
