A Russellville man involved in a home invasion in October 2011 pleaded guilty to robbery charges last week, courthouse officials said.
Derell Jamar Bates, 24, 103 Mines St., Russellville, pleaded guilty to second-degree robbery at a hearing on Aug. 1, Franklin County District Attorney Joey Rushing said.
Rushing said Bates received a 15-year sentence split with two years to serve in the state penitentiary followed by five years of probation.
“According to the facts of the case, there were four individuals who were involved in this home invasion and Mr. Bates was the one who had the gun and actually shot it into the ceiling during the robbery,” Rushing said.
“After discussing the case with the victims, we wanted to make sure Mr. Bates served time in prison for his role in this crime, but we also want him to begin making restitution payments, which was a condition of his plea agreement along with having no contact with the victims.”
Records show the incident took place on Oct. 9, 2011.
According to Franklin County Sheriff Shannon Oliver, the sheriff’s office received a 911 call about 2 a.m. on Oct. 9 stating there were four people, two males and two females, who had entered a residence at Town and Country Trailer Park on Alabama 24 in Russellville.
Officials said the four were accused of breaking into the trailer and robbing three victims at gunpoint.
Oliver said the victims stated the two females gained entry to the residence by posing as prostitutes and the two men followed them into the residence.
Oliver said the suspects had pistols and rifles and forced the victims to give up any money or cell phones in the residence.
Oliver said Bates reportedly shot his pistol in the air in an attempt to threaten the victims to comply.
After receiving the money and phones, the suspects fled the residence, but Oliver said the two females were pulled over on U.S. 43 by Russellville police officers shortly after the incident took place.
Oliver said they later discovered the identity of the two males involved in the robbery and they were arrested as well.
Rushing said the two females involved in the home invasion, Tosha Shante Saint, 19, and Sarah Elizabeth Mayfield, 26, both of Russellville, have already entered felony pleas in the case.
The fourth co-defendant, Terrance Obrian Newell, 24, of Russellville, is still pending trial.