An Arizona man who robbed a Durango marijuana dispensary with an AR-15 rifle in April was sentenced Friday to 12 years in prison.
Alexander Johnson pleaded guilty to the armed robbery at The Greenery, 208 Parker Ave., in Bodo Industrial Park.
According to the Durango Police Department, Johnson confronted a delivery driver at the dispensary and stole a large amount of marijuana before fleeing.
A La Plata County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit tracked Johnson into the hills above Bodo Park, where he was later arrested.
Johnson graduated from high school in Farmington.
On Friday, Joel Cameron, owner of The Greenery, argued for a lengthy prison sentence for Johnson.
“Not only did he point a loaded AR-15 at my staff, it also had a silencer on it,” he said.
“He’s shown a complete lack of remorse. My staff are still terrified to go to work.”
Johnson told the court he takes full responsibility for his actions and does not want the robbery to define the rest of his life.
“I made the worst choice of my life,” he said. “I am ashamed of my actions because they do not paint an accurate picture of my character.”
District Judge William Herringer acknowledged Johnson’s potential – including being 12 credits shy of a college degree – but called the robbery an “extreme, dangerous and traumatic event” that required a sentence that reflected the magnitude of the crime.
mrupani@durangoherald.com