BENTONVILLE -- A Rogers man pleaded not guilty to robbing a Rogers convenience store last month with a BB rifle.
Osvaldo Espinoza, 23, is charged with aggravated robbery, a Class Y felony, and theft of property, a Class A misdemeanor. He entered the plea at his arraignment before Benton County Circuit Judge Brad Karren.
The arraignment was conducted via video with Espinoza being at the Benton County Jail.
Espinoza was arrested Aug. 3. Rogers police received a 911 call at 12:26 a.m. Aug. 2 about an armed robbery at the E-Z Mart at 723 N. 13th St., according to a probable cause affidavit.
A witness told 911 operators there was an armed, masked man at the store counter. The robber ran out of the store while the witness was on the telephone with a police dispatcher, according to court documents.
A store clerk called 911 moments later and reported the robbery. Store clerk Jonathan Clark said a man armed with a shotgun entered the business and demanded all of the money in the register and stole $90, according to the affidavit released Wednesday.
Rogers police released photographs of the masked suspect and later received an anonymous tip Espinoza was the robber. Espinoza's parents saw photographs of the suspect at the Police Department and identified him as their son, according the affidavit.
Espinoza's father said he had bought the shirt his son was wearing in the photographs, the affidavit states. The parents also said they saw Facebook messages in which their son was talking about committing a robbery, according to the affidavit.
Police said they found a BB rifle, a white pin-striped jersey and a black windbreaker that appeared to match what the robber was wearing during the robbery.
Espinoza admitted to the armed robbery, describing it as a "drunken stupid mistake" and said he used the $90 to buy marijuana, according to court documents.
An omnibus hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Oct. 31.
Espinoza was being held Monday in the Benton County Jail on a $150,000 bond.
If convicted of aggravated robbery, Espinoza faces from 10 to 40 years or life imprisonment. He faces up to a year in jail if convicted of the misdemeanor theft charge.
NW News on 09/13/2016