When a St. Paul Subway employee refused to empty the cash register for a man with a handgun, the robber allegedly turned the gun on customers.

Leslee Marquis Sheppard aimed the black semiautomatic at a father at the sandwich shop with his children and demanded his wallet, according to charges filed in Ramsey County District Court. Then he robbed two other teens standing nearby, the charges allege.

A criminal complaint filed Monday charges Sheppard with five counts of first-degree aggravated robbery.

Sheppard, 34, of Sandstone, Minn., walked into the store at 376 White Bear Ave. around 12:30 a.m. March 4, pointed a handgun at the employee working behind the counter, and told him to empty his cash register, according to the charges.

The sales clerk closed the cash register instead and ran to the back of the store, according to the charges. That’s when Sheppard redirected his efforts to customers, according to the charges.

The father and two teens inside the store all turned over wallets to Sheppard during the hold-up, the complaint said. Then Sheppard made them lie on the ground before fleeing with their belongings. Related Articles Minneapolis and St. Paul to add 70 electric car charging stations

Neighborhood girl finds and returns chef Justin Sutherland’s stolen knife roll

Therapy dog-in training stolen in St. Paul found, reunited with owners

St. Stanislaus’ longtime priest the Rev. John Clay leaves legacy of love. He died Sunday at age 94

St. Paul man threatened another man with a sword, charges say

About 20 minutes later, he robbed a Lucky’s Gulf gas station at 306 Larpenteur Ave., according to the charges.

In that case, Sheppard walked up to a cash register with a Pepsi and a $5 bill, the complaint said. Then he pulled out his gun and told the two store employees behind the counter to give him all their money or he would “light (them) up,” charges say.

He was arrested after being identified from still images gleaned from the store’s surveillance system and circulated to media outlets.

Sheppard allegedly confessed to the robberies during an interview with officers, according to the complaint. He said he was high when he committed them, the complaint said.

His criminal record includes convictions for domestic assault and twice violating a no-contact order.

He could not be immediately reached for comment.

Surveillance footage from the gas station robbery: