William Eddins, State Attorney for the First Judicial Circuit, announced that Lonnie Ray Hutto has been convicted of robbery after a jury trial on Wednesday in Crestview.
The charges arose from a Jan. 30 incident where Hutto entered the Wal-Mart in Crestview and was noticed by a Wal-Mart employee picking up merchandise and acting suspiciously, so surveillance was conducted.
Hutto left the store without paying for merchandise. As the Wal-Mart employee approached Hutto, he threatened the employee with violence if they tried to stop him. Hutto escaped but was captured in the area shortly by the Crestview Police Department.
Sentencing is Nov. 5 before Circuit Judge Michael Flowers. Hutto qualifies for sentencing as a prison releasee reoffender and habitual felony offender. He faces a 15-year minimum mandatory sentence, and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
Assistant State Attorney Laresa Dudley was responsible for the prosecution. Call her at 850-689-5620 for more information.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview man convicted of robbery, faces habitual offender charges