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Man pleads guilty in pair of robberies with toy gun

Posted at 4:21 PM, Oct 27, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-27 16:21:14-04

LEBANON, Ohio -- A Germantown man pleaded guilty Thursday to a pair of robberies with a toy gun.

James Shell, 29, and another person entered a Germantown Verizon store June 24 while brandishing the phony gun, according to Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell. They assaulted the clerk, tied him up in the rear bathroom and made off with 30 cellphones, iPads and other electronics.

On the July 3, the pair robbed another Verizon store in Deerfield Township, again brandishing the toy gun, according to Fornshell. They assaulted the clerk, tied him up with a power cord in the bathroom and stole cash, 14 cellphones and other electronics.

Authorities identified Shell from surveillance video, according to Fornshell.

Shell pleaded guilty to two counts of robber and two counts of kidnapping. Under a plea deal, he will serve 15 years in prison and pay more than $20,000 in restitution back to the stores.