Ex-cellphone store employee who burglarized workplace gets jail, anger management course
Keenan Bryce Primer won't be needing his suitcase for the next few months.
The Pennsylvania man was sentenced to 270 days in jail after he pleaded guilty to four charges including burglary, grand theft, battery on a police officer and corruption by threat of a police officer. The sentences will run concurrently, and he was credited with 38 days served.
Palmer, 20, of Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, a suspect in a May 4 burglary at an AT&T cellphone store, was arrested the same day at Southwest Florida International Airport, suitcase and backpack in hand and reportedly looking to leave the area.
A Lee County Sheriff's Office report said Primer had some of the items reported stolen in his possession, including three iPhones, two AirPods, a Microsoft Note and several charging cords, when approached at the airport.
Drug court: Fort Myers man heads to drug court program after pleading no contest in burglaries
UF student: Jury finds Cape Coral man guilty of kidnapping, attempted sexual battery at University of Florida
Home firebombing: Two Lee County men face charges, including arson, in 2020 firebombing of Cape Coral home
Earlier, Sheriff's Office deputies were called to the AT&T store on Tamiami Trail in Fort Myers to check on a burglary that happened overnight and resulted in the theft of $1,500 in cash and more than $10,000 worth of electronics including cell phones and Apple AirPods.
Detectives developed Primer, a former store employee, as a suspect and learned he was planning to leave Fort Myers on a plane.
Deputies didn't find evidence of a physical break-in, a report on the burglary said, but they surmised Primer had obtained a employee key as well as knowing the code for the room where the phones had been kept.
A Sheriff's Office report said Primer had added another store employee to a social media chat where he said "I'm bouta go rob AT&T," later admitted the crime, shared photos of some of the items taken and said he bought an airline ticket.
Officials alerted Lee County Port Authority officers apprehended Primer on the afternoon of May 4, suitcase in tow and with a red backpack seen in the social media chat he shared earlier.
While being transported to Lee County Jail, Primer threatened a detective and his family if he wasn't released, the arrest report noted.
Primer was also sentenced to 18 months state probation, 50 hours of community service and must attend and complete an anger management program.
Connect with breaking news reporter Michael Braun: MichaelBraunNP (Facebook), @MichaelBraunNP (Twitter) or mbraun@news-press.com.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Pennsylvania man arrested at RSW, accused of AT&T robbery sentenced to jail
