Augusta man to serve nearly 5 years for robbing stores at knifepoint in 2019
Jun. 25—An Augusta man was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court in Bangor to four years and nine months in prison for robbing three convenience stores and a drug store at knifepoint two years ago in Maine's capital.
Barry E. Grant Jr., 39, admitted to the robberies in October 2019 but his sentencing was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic because federal courts did not hold in-person hearings until this month.
In addition to prison time, U.S. District Judge John Woodcock sentenced Grant to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $1,878 in restitution.
Grant first robbed the Stone Street Big Apple store on Feb. 25, 2019, according to court documents. He wore a dark hooded sweatshirt and covered the lower portion of his face. Grant brandished a knife and demanded money.
He repeated that modus operandi three times in July 2019, robbing the Western Avenue Quick Mart on the 17th, the Walgreens Drug Store on Water Street three days later and the Bangor Street Mobil On the Run on the 23rd, court documents said.
Grant was arrested by Augusta police after a short foot chase following the final robbery and has been held without bail since then. That time will count toward his sentence.
Jeffrey Silverstein of Bangor, Grant's attorney, said after the sentencing that the robberies were fueled by Grant's substance use disorder.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Ruge, who prosecuted Grant, declined to comment Friday. It is the practice of the federal prosecutor's office not to comment on cases.
Grant faced up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
