Topeka Man Pleads Guilty in Armed Robbery
| U.S. Attorney’s Office June 17, 2013 |
TOPEKA, KS—A Topeka man has pleaded guilty to taking part in an armed robbery at a Little Caesars Pizza restaurant, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.
David Pierre Wigfall, 28, Topeka, Kansas, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting a robbery in which the robber brandished a firearm. In his plea, Wigfall admitted that on March 1, 2013, he drove a white Cadillac occupied by co-defendants Alonzo Nathan Lax, Johnnie Lee McCall, and Jordan Lucas. At McCall’s direction, Lax agreed to rob Little Caesar’s Pizza at 2620 SW 6th Street, Suite B, in Topeka. Wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt, gloves, and a black ski mask, Lax entered the restaurant, brandished a firearm, and demanded money. A clerk saw him leave the restaurant and get into the passenger side of the Cadillac.
A few minutes later, officers of the Topeka Police Department found the Cadillac parked at a residence in the 1000 block of SW Plass and determined that it was registered to Wigfall. They saw articles that appeared to be from the robbery in the car. They kept watch on the car until Wigfall got in and drove away. When they stopped Wigfall, they recovered a mask and coins from the robbery that Wigfall had discarded before they pulled him over.
Sentencing is set for September 23. He faces a penalty of not less than seven years and not more than life and a fine up to $250,000.
Co-defendants include:
Johnnie Lee McCall, 28, Topeka, Kansas, who pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting commercial robbery and one count of aiding and abetting brandishing a firearm. He is set for sentencing August 19.
Jordan Christopher Lucas, 26, Topeka, who pleaded guilty to one count of commercial robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm in connection with a February 27, 2013 robbery at Baskin Robbins, 4400 S.W. 21st in Topeka. He is set for sentencing September 3.
Alonzo Lax, 26, Topeka, who pleaded guilty to robbery and brandishing a firearm. He is set for sentencing August 13.
Grissom commended the Topeka Police Department, the FBI, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag for their work on the case.