Sebring Teen Goes Home From Jail After 16 Months

SEBRING - A Sebring teenager who was booked into jail Feb. 8, 2007, in connection with the armed robbery of the Dollar General store was turned over to the care of his mother Thursday after he pleaded to a lesser charge for his part in the crime.

The store is located at 1040 Lakeview Drive in downtown Sebring.

After spending 16 months in jail, David Lozano Jr., now 16, was released at 7:40 p.m. Thursday, according to sheriff's booking. Lozano Jr. pleaded guilty to aggravated assault.

Assistant State Attorney Richard Castillo said Friday that Lozano Jr. helped plan the robbery, carried the handgun or BB gun to the store and acted as a lookout while Roosevelt Smith, now 17, carried out the robbery.

Smith, who pleaded guilty several months ago to robbery with a deadly weapon, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for robbing the store and pistol whipping a female clerk, whose name is being withheld by Highlands Today.

Three other suspects in the robbery cooperated as witnesses, Castillo said.

The case dates back to about 8:56 p.m., Jan. 6, 2007, when the clerk approached the store's front door to lock it after a female customer paid for her purchase and left.

As the first female clerk approached the door, Smith entered and passed her with a bandanna pulled over his face, a black cap on his head and a black-in-color firearm in his hand, which he carried close to his right leg.

The clerk believed it was a 9 mm handgun. The weapon was never recovered, Castillo said, and the suspects later claimed it was a BB gun.

That clerk darted out the front door and quickly called 911. She told the dispatcher that she believed the store was being robbed. She then saw Smith leave the store and run to the south and then east toward the rear of the building.

During that time, a second clerk, who is now 31 years old, was inside sweeping up next to the register and getting ready for closing when Smith came up behind her and bashed her in the head with the gun.

She, too, described the weapon as a 9 mm handgun. Castillo argued that it didn't matter if the gun was a BB gun or a real gun because the clerk thought it was real and she's had to deal with that fear ever since.

Smith reportedly asked the clerk for the money. As she started to look at him, he cursed and told her not to look at him. Smith pushed her over to the register and demanded she open it, while shoving the gun to the back of her head.

Once she opened up the register, Smith grabbed a shopping bag and ordered her to put the money in the bag. She didn't know how much money she turned over to Smith.

That's when Smith finally left the store, running past the first clerk.

Sebring police arrived at the scene and located three suspects in the area. One ran from police and did not stop. He was captured later near Highlands Avenue and Josephine Court. He was on his way to church when they ran into Smith and Lozano Jr., that night.

The each told police they were walking together when they ran into Smith and Lozano Jr. They agreed to act as lookouts, but one told police he was afraid that Smith and Lozano Jr. would hurt him if he didn't.

One said he said no at first until Lozano Jr. pulled the gun out.

When Smith left the store, they all ran.

Smith was spotted by officer Joe Stump running in the 100 block of Savannah Circle in the Park Crest Terrace apartments. Office Sean Bueford yelled for him to stop, but he kept running. Smith was seen running near a home in the 1200 block of Thurston Avenue, and was captured after a chase by police Cpl. Michael Cutolo.

Lozano Jr. was also arrested at 11:23 p.m. Jan. 6, 2007, in the 1200 block of Thurston Avenue, in Sebring, and was originally charged as a principal in the first degree in the armed robbery.