AUBURN — A Lewiston man charged in August with robbing a variety store in Lewiston, armed with a knife, was indicted this week on three felonies.
Jonathan Norman Thibodeau, 35, is scheduled to enter a plea in Androscoggin County Superior Court Friday morning on charges of robbery, criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon and theft by unauthorized taking or transfer. Robbery, a Class A felony, is punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Each of the other two charges is a Class C felony that carries a maximum prison sentence of five years.
An Androscoggin County grand jury handed up the indictment against Thibodeau on Tuesday.
Police said in a sworn affidavit that a clerk at the Sabattus Street General Store (formerly Elizabeth Ann’s) at 415 Sabattus St. reported a man came into the store demanding money and threatening the clerk with an orange box cutter. He fled the store with an undisclosed amount of cash.
The 63-year-old clerk, who was visibly shaking when police arrived, had locked the store after the suspect fled.
She described the man as being in his late 20s, short and clean shaven. He had worn a dark blue hoodie, black sweat pants and a baseball hat. He had come into the store earlier, acting “nervous” and asked about cereal before leaving.
In court papers, Thibodeau’s height is documented at 5 feet, 5 inches.
When he returned, he went straight to the counter and demanded the clerk give him money, according to the affidavit.
He told the clerk: “Give me all the f—— money. I am not playing,” she said to officers. She told him he was surrounded by cameras, but he appeared not to listen and continued to demand money. She gave him roughly $335 and he ran out the door, she told police.
Surveillance cameras show the suspect coming into the store smoking a cigarette, slamming his hand on the counter, holding a utility knife, then leaving with cash.
Cameras show the suspect running from the scene, shedding his hoodie and revealing distinctive tattoos on his arms. He ran with a limp. Police suspected the man might be Thibodeau, who has a prosthetic left leg and similar tattoos.
The clerk picked out Thibodeau from a photo lineup, saying: “That’s him. Same exact face.”
He was arrested and taken to Androscoggin County Jail. He declined to speak with police.
He is being held at the jail without bail pending a probation revocation hearing, according to a booking officer.
cwilliams@sunjournal.com
Jonathan Norman Thibodeau (Submitted photo)
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