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Participated in robberies in Austin and Adams

An Austin man who pleaded guilty on Feb. 11 to participating in two armed robberies in December will be sent to the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud.

Ladevin Martaz Hardin, 22, of Austin was sentenced to 50 months in prison for felony first-degree aggravated robbery – possess dangerous weapon – on Thursday in Mower County District Court. He received a concurrent sentence of 41 months in prison for a second count of felony first-degree aggravated robbery – possess dangerous weapon.

He received credit for 98 days served.

Judge Christa M. Daily issued the sentences.

Court documents state that armed robberies occured on Dec. 8 at the Dollar General in Austin and on Dec. 9 at the Corky’s Convenience Store in Adams. Both robberies involved three male suspects, including some who brandished knives at the clerks. About $918 was stolen from the Dollar General and $2,521 was stolen from Corky’s Corner.

The clerk at Corky’s Corner said that one of the suspects came up to the counter with some items and a $5 bill before the other two suspects entered with knives and went behind the counter.

On Dec. 11, Toby James Gogolewski of Lyle and Nathaniel Gerome Davenport Jr. of Austin were arrested in connection to an armed robbery at the Freeborn Co-op in Lyle. Gogolewski later provided details of his involvement in three robberies held prior to the Freeborn Co-op robbery, including the Dollar General and Corky’s Corner robberies.

Gogolewski said that he, Hardin and Patrick Alston Harris were involved in the Dollar General robbery. He said that he had a machete and Hardin had a knife and that Alston acted as the “lookout.” He said they rode in Alston’s pickup and parked near the Dollar General, committed the robbery, and then left in the pickup.

Gogolewski also said that he, Hardin and Davenport were involved in the Corky’s Corner robbery. During the robbery, Gogolewski said he and Davenport went behind the counter where the clerk was and that he held a knife to the clerk’s back. He identified Hardin as the suspect who approached the counter with some items and a $5 bill.

In addition to prison, Hardin must also pay $3,425.40 in fees and restitution. He also received a concurrent sentence of 17 months in prison on a felony motor vehicle theft conviction in another case. He received credit for 112 days served.

Gogolewski was sentenced on June 24 to concurrent sentences of 75 months, 67 months, 50 months and 41 months for his roles in the four December armed robberies, while Harris was sentenced on May 21 to 41 months in prison for his role in the Dollar General armed robbery. Davenport is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 6 for his roles in the armed robberies at Corky’s Corner and the Lyle Freeborn Co-op.