Pensacola man who robbed four convenience stores for cigarettes sentenced

A Pensacola man who robbed multiple businesses for cigarettes last year was sentenced Tuesday to more than 12 years in prison.

James Levoy Foster II, 46, pleaded guilty to three counts of robbery without a weapon, one count of robbery with a weapon and one count of resisting an officer without violence.

He robbed four convenience stores in about a month, ranging from June 11 to July 17, 2017.

The first two incidents were on the same day, June 11, when Foster went inside both a Tom Thumb on Creighton Road and a Smart Fill convenience store on Davis Highway. At the Tom Thumb, he walked behind the counter and started taking several packets of cigarettes, and when the clerk tried to stop him from leaving, he knocked the clerk to the ground and left, according to the State Attorney's Office.

In the Smart Fill, he attempted to purchase cigarettes with a debit card that was declined, and then he walked around the counter and demanded cigarettes while holding a knife. He took 13 cartons of cigarettes and left the store.

A month later, on July 11, Foster went into the Mom and Pop's Convenience Mart on Olive Road again demanding cigarettes. When the clerk refused, he threatened to jump behind the counter and take them so the clerk handed over several packs.

The last offense, on July 17, was when Foster went inside the Circle K on Garden Street, walked behind the counter and again took cigarettes. He told the clerks if he called the cops he'd hurt them, but said he didn't want to hurt them.

Foster was arrested for the string of robberies on July 18, and admitted to committing the crimes, the state says.

Circuit Judge John Miller sentenced Foster to 12.5 years in prison for the offenses.