Mitchell man charged in Easy Come & Easy Go robbery sentenced to five years in prison
Mar. 2—A Mitchell man who robbed a local gas station after threatening an employee with a loaded BB gun was sentenced Tuesday to serve five years in prison.
For his role in the armed robbery that took place on Nov. 18 at Easy Come Easy Go gas station, John Beck, 18, was sentenced to 15 years in prison with 10 years suspended. Beck faced a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison and a $50,000 fine for the first-degree robbery charge. Beck pleaded guilty.
During Tuesday's sentencing hearing, Judge Chris Giles pointed to Beck's "criminal thinking" and planning he used to execute the robbery as a major concern that justified prison time.
"This involved an element of criminal thinking. You can't commit a robbery and not spend some time in prison," Giles said to Beck, who has been in custody since being arrested. "Another thing that concerns me is this was planned ahead of time."
Beck was accompanied by
Geno Gehl, 18, of Mitchell
. According to an arrest affidavit, Beck and Gehl pointed their loaded BB guns at the gas station clerk, while Gehl demanded they give them money from the cash register. Davison County Deputy State's Attorney Robert O'Keefe said Tuesday that the BB gun Beck used to threaten the gas station clerk mimicked a handgun and was stolen from Cabela's prior to robbery.
Shortly after officers were dispatched to the scene,
officers arrested Beck and Gehl within 10 minutes of being alerted
. Beck later admitted to authorities investigating the robbery that he grabbed the money from the gas station employee.
When authorities located the suspects and arrested them a few blocks from the gas station near Sanborn Boulevard, the two were carrying $554 in cash. Gehl told authorities he and Beck planned the robbery and intended to use the stolen money to fill up their vehicle with gas to travel to Rapid City.
Officers were able to locate the suspects with the help of descriptions from the gas station clerk, who also told authorities the direction they fled following the armed robbery.
Considering Beck was carrying a BB gun that resembled a real handgun, Judge Giles said Beck was lucky he wasn't shot by officers while attempting to flee.
"It looked to me like it was very close to whether or not they thought you were going to continue to be a threat. You're lucky you weren't killed. You had plenty of chances to say no and back out," Giles said.
Beck's father, Mike Beck, spoke on behalf of his son's recent behavior during Tuesday's sentencing hearing, claiming John's time spent at Aurora Plains Academy in Plankinton introduced him to people who influenced him to commit crime.
Aurora Plains Academy is a juvenile facility that provides its residents, who may be dealing with behavioral challenges or other issues, with treatment and educational services.
"Unfortunately, he spent the last couple years of his juvenile life in Aurora Plains. He made some connections there that led him to Rapid City, and those same connections led him back to Mitchell. That ended him up where he is," Mike said.
Gehl has yet to be sentenced for his role in the robbery, pending a mental evaluation. He remains in custody at the Davison County jail. Beck received credit for serving over 103 days in jail since he was apprehended on Nov. 18.
