Man gets 15-30 months for knifepoint robbery

WILKES-BARRE – An Ashley man charged with robbing a convenience store at knifepoint was sentenced Tuesday to 15 to 30 months in state prison.

Richard Hadvance Jr., 23, of Ashley Street, pleaded guilty to a charge of robbery and was sentenced by Judge David Lupas.

Hadvance also was sentenced on an unrelated charge of retail theft. That four-to-12 month sentence will be served concurrently with the robbery sentence, Lupas said.

Christopher O'Donnell, Hadvance's attorney, said Tuesday his client has taken responsibility for his actions by pleading guilty in both cases.

Lupas said because Hadvance is so young, he has many years to make a better life for himself.

You got yourself in a lot of trouble, Lupas said. … I hope you can get past it because you have a lot of years ahead of you.

In the robbery case, Wilkes-Barre police said at around 4 a.m. on June 2 they were dispatched to the Turkey Hill on East Main Street for a report of an armed robbery.

When police arrived, they learned the suspect, later identified as Hadvance, fled the store with between $40 and $70.

A store clerk said Hadvance came into the store to purchase a drink and cigarettes, and then pulled out a large kitchen knife and demanded cigarettes and money.

The clerk said he recognized Hadvance from previous occasions as someone who lived a few houses down the street.

After initially denying involvement in the robbery, Hadvance admitted to police that he robbed the store because he was addicted to crack cocaine and owed a drug dealer money.

In the theft case, police said on Jan. 24, Hadvance removed cigarettes and other items from the same Turkey Hill store.

Lupas said Hadvance is not to enter the Turkey Hill, must undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation and complete any recommended treatment.