Man who helped in robbery gets up to 6 years in prison
A Pittsburgh man who helped rob a man on his way to an ATM in Zelienople will spend up to 6 years in prison.
Derrick Harris, 20, was sentenced Thursday in Butler County Court to 2 to 6 years in prison for the 2005 crime.
Harris' case was delayed because he was a missing fugitive until September when he was brought back into the system when Pittsburgh police picked him up on a traffic stop.
According to court testimony Harris has no prior criminal record, but still faces pending charges in Allegheny County for a firearms violation and robbery of a motor vehicle.
Here, in Butler County, authorities believe Harris was with Marcus Sibeto, 20, of Carnegie, Allegheny County, and a 16-year-old girl who has never been identified when they got lost in Zelienople.
The group apparently spotted a man on his way to the ATM, according to court documents.
Harris and Sibeto put on masks and gloves and robbed the man at gunpoint, according to court records.
The man, who suffered only minor injuries, had only $1, some credit cards and a cellular telephone stolen before the robbery was stopped by a passer-by, according to court records.
The group fled in a stolen minivan, and were spotted by police in Lancaster Township. They led police on a 15-mile chase into Beaver and Lawrence counties before crashing into a tree in Wayne Township, Lawrence County.
"I apologize for what I did. I'm very remorseful," Harris said to Butler County Judge William Shaffer Thursday.
In addition to the prison time, the judge ordered Harris to pay $751 in restitution to the victim.