Leeper pleads not guilty to robbery charges
Published 8:48 am Thursday, December 24, 2015
The man arrested in a McDonald’s line on suspicion of committing two armed robberies, shoplifting from Walmart and assaulting a gas station worker the same day he was released from jail after posting bond pleaded not guilty Wednesday.
Dylan Arthur Leeper, 22, who had been previously charged in several prior incidents, was released from jail Nov. 12 after posting $100,000 bond before being arrested that night on suspicion of the shoplifting incident and the robberies at Reed’s Fourth Ave. and Hari Food Mart, which were allegedly committed with a black handgun.
Leeper was charged Nov. 13 in Mower County court with two counts of felony aggravated robbery, three counts of felony second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, one count of felony fifth-degree assault and one count of misdemeanor theft, to which he pleaded not guilty to all.
According to the court complaint, Leeper shoplifted from Walmart during two different trips Thursday, robbed Reed’s Fourth Ave., 901 Fourth Ave. NE, at gunpoint and assaulted the clerk, and robbed Hari Food Mart Shell gas, 709 21st St. NE, at gunpoint.
Leeper was reportedly accompanied by a white female, believed to be Amber Katusky who was later arrested and charged with two counts of aiding and abetting aggravated robbery with possession of a dangerous weapon — both felonies. She pleaded not guilty last month.
Leeper allegedly left Walmart in a silver 2005 Ford Taurus.
Less than an hour later, officers saw Leeper run near a silver Taurus to the McDonald’s at 1009 W. Oakland Ave. After resisting arrest, Leeper was taken into custody. He had $609 on him at the time.
At the jail, Leeper saw Katusky and screamed, “Amber, do not say anything!” according to the report.
Leeper’s release from jail came after he posted $100,000 conditional bond before the alleged spree, even though he had been scheduled to be sentenced 13 days later on Nov. 25 after taking a plea deal in regards to his multiple prior cases on Oct. 9.
Those charges stem from Leeper beating a pizza delivery driver to steal his money and escaping from a Mower County court room. Leeper was on probation for allegedly stealing cars and getting into several accidents in southwest Austin. He has also been charged with shoplifting in another case.
He had previously pleaded guilty to one charge of felony theft, one charge of felony escape from custody, one charge of felony aggravated robbery, one charge misdemeanor theft/shoplifting, and one charge misdemeanor fleeing an officer in a vehicle — the result of the multiple cases.
Leeper is next scheduled for court April 1, 2016.