Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 10, 1994 TAG: 9405100149
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MIKE HUDSON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Short
Robert Diaz, 29, had pleaded guilty to five robberies in Roanoke.
The nine robberies occurred between Sept. 12 and Nov. 6.
Salem Commonwealth's Attorney Fred King said the case involves "the most serious series of offenses we've had in a long time."
Diaz robbed video stores, a convenience store, a pizza restaurant, a shoe store and a dry cleaner. Four of the robberies were in Roanoke, four in Salem and one in Roanoke County.
King said Diaz entered a dry cleaning store in Salem on Sept. 18 and told the clerk he was going to rob the place. She said, "No, you're not." But he showed her a gun and forced her to give him money from the store and out of her wallet.
He returned to the store Nov. 6 and forced the same clerk into the bathroom and pulled a knife on her. He then raped and sodomized her. Diaz pleaded guilty Monday to rape, sodomy and robbery in that crime.
During another robbery in Roanoke, Diaz led a clerk to a back room, where he forced her to take off her clothes. She began crying as he fondled her, and Diaz told her, "You're not worth it," and left the store.
Diaz, who had been a maintenance worker at an apartment complex, was arrested Nov. 24. He confessed to his crimes, telling police that he had been high on crack.
Diaz likely will be sentenced for all of his crimes June 24. He faces up to 11 life sentences.
by CNB