
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 1, 1995                   TAG: 9502010072
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: LAURENCE HAMMACK
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

MAN'S ROBBERY SPREE NETS 31-YEAR SENTENCE

A man convicted of a weekend robbery spree that hit businesses in Roanoke, Roanoke County and Salem was sentenced Tuesday to 31 years in prison.

John Edward Kirk, 33, admitted robbing three convenience stores to support his crack cocaine habit, Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Greg Phillips said.

Kirk was charged with robbing the Happy Store on Apperson Drive in Salem, the Market Place on Plantation Road in Roanoke County and the Uni-Mart on Jamison Avenue in Roanoke during one weekend last August. He also pleaded guilty to robbing a Little Caesar's pizza business.

No one was injured, and a toy gun was used in a least one of the robberies.

Authorities said a co-defendant, who earlier was sentenced to 34 years in prison, helped Kirk in some of the robberies.

Sentencing Kirk for robberies that happened in all three jurisdictions, Roanoke Circuit Judge Richard Pattisall gave him a 53-year term, to be suspended after he serves 31 years.

by CNB