Covington Man Gets Three Years For Robbery

District Attorney Warren Montgomery reports that Michael E. Mitchell (36) of Covington was sentenced Thursday (May 10, 2018) to three years in prison for robbing a Dollar General store in Mandeville on February 24, 2017.
Mitchell had entered the store, demanded cash from the register, and exposed what appeared to be the handle of a weapon. The police later recovered a B.B. gun from Mitchell's vehicle, but the clerk was unable to confirm it was the object the defendant had in his pocket.
Mitchell was identified five days later, as he sat in the parking lot of another discount store in a car matching the one that had been seen leaving the Dollar General robbery. Officers also found dark clothing that matched the suspect’s clothing in surveillance footage of the Dollar General crime.
During the trial, Mitchell admitted that he had robbed the store. However, Mitchell's attorney argued the crime was a simple robbery, the prosecution contended the crime was an armed robbery, and on April 23, 2018 the jury found Mitchell guilty of First Degree Robbery.