LEWISTON — An Auburn man will serve two years for robbing The Big Apple gas station on Main Street in Auburn in January, plus four years of a suspended sentence for burglary and theft.

Ryan Lizotte Androscoggin County jail photo

Ryan Lizotte, 27, of 108 Seventh St. pleaded guilty Thursday in 8th District Court to robbery and theft, both felonies.

On the robbery charge, a judge sentenced him to six years in prison, with four years suspended. He will serve a two-year sentence on the theft charge at the same time as the robbery sentence.

Lizotte had faced a maximum sentence on the robbery charge of 30 years in prison.

After his release from prison, Lizotte will be on probation for three years, during which he must not use alcohol, illegal drugs or dangerous weapons. He must allow evaluation, counseling and treatment for substance abuse and mental health.

He must repay the store $140.67 as restitution and have no contact with the person who was the clerk at the time of the robbery.

Lizotte will have a curfew of 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. except by permission from his probation officer.

Police said Lizotte walked into the store at 296 Main St. at 2 a.m. on Jan. 23, demanding cigarettes and cash, and threatening to use force against the clerk. He was arrested on Pleasant Street less than three hours later.

Lizotte also admitted Thursday to violating terms of his probation for a 2013 conviction of felony burglary and theft by assaulting a man May 1. For that violation, a judge sentenced him Thursday to serve four years of an eight-year suspended sentence.

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