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Guilty plea in Fayetteville armed robbery By JOHN
MUNFORD
A Riverdale man pled guilty Thursday morning to the armed robbery of the Sally Beauty Supply store at the Banks Crossing Shopping Center in Fayetteville in December of 2001. Deontae Trimble testified that he entered the store, took over $600 from an employee and then he used a stun gun to stun the employee so he could leave the scene. Trimble also admitted to dumping the gun down a sewer manhole at his Riverdale apartment complex where it was later recovered by Fayetteville Police. After accepting Trimble's guilty plea to armed robbery, Superior Court Judge Christopher C. Edwards sentenced Trimble to 10 years in prison. The plea came as attorneys were preparing to give their opening statements to the jury. Prosecutors originally agreed to let Trimble plead to a reduced charge and in doing so he testified that he was asleep in the backseat of his car when the robbery occurred and he did not participate in the crime. Trimble said he was paid $50 for the use of his car after the incident but once he learned of the robbery, he returned the money. Judge Edwards rejected that plea deal, however, saying he believed the defendant wasn't telling the truth. Eventually, Edwards was proved right when Trimble admitted to taking the money and "stunning" the employee with the weapon. Trimble also agreed to fully cooperate with prosecutors in the prosecution of any future co-defendants in the case. After Trimble's guilty plea to armed robbery was accepted, Edwards allowed Trimble to hold his son before he was led away in handcuffs. The 10-year prison sentence is the minimum allowed by Georgia law for armed robbery.
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