Convicted robber could serve 9- to 18-year term
STAFF REPORT
NEW CASTLE, Pa. — A city man has been convicted in a robbery and high-speed chase that took place on the South Side of the city last year.
The district attorney’s office will seek a sentence of nine to 18 years in state prison for Shontee Latham, 33, of Forrest Street.
He was convicted last week in Lawrence County Common Pleas court in the Nov. 14, 2007, robbery of the Dollar General store on Moravia Street. After a trial, he was found guilty of robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, and two counts of endangering another person.
Assistant Prosecutor Larry Keith said Latham and an accomplice, Leeann Payne, 23, of High Street, entered the store around 7 p.m. Payne wore a mask and watched the door.
An affidavit of probable cause indicates Latham pointed a gun into an employee’s back, forcing her to the back of the store where they found the manager. The manager opened the office door and the safe.
Keith said the pair got away with about $700, but were confronted by police outside as they tried to drive away.
Payne drove off, and the resulting chase included city and state police. At Taylor and Cunningham streets, Payne slammed into a police car, and the officer suffered back injuries.
They were trapped a short time later in a dead-end alley, and they tried to run. Police quickly caught Payne, and found Latham’s wallet on the front seat of the car.
Payne was convicted in March of robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, reckless endangering, aggravated assault on a police officer, and numerous traffic offenses. She was sentenced to four to eight years in prison.