Harlan Kirgan
Two Crowley men pleaded guilty in a case involving armed robberies in Rayne, Eunice and Ville Platte in February and March, according to U.S. District Court documents.
Algernon Wilson and Larryl Fisher were indicted by a federal grand jury in June. They entered guilty pleas to the fourth count in the indictment in October and sentencing is scheduled Jan. 12 before Judge Patricia Minaldi. The count involved the Ville Platte robbery.
On Feb. 16, Wilson and Fisher robbed about $4,600 from an employee of the Frog City Travel Plaza and Casino, the indictment stated.
On Feb. 22, Wilson and Fisher robbed about $7,066 from the Basile State Bank in Eunice.
Also in Eunice on March 7, the indictment stated Wilson and Fisher robbed $455 from Advance America. On the same day, the pair committed a robbery at the Ville Platte Clinic Pharmacy where controlled substances were taken, the indictment stated.
In a court document it was stated that Wilson and Fisher were acquaintances from Crowley. Wilson was 30 and Fisher was 32 at the time of the robberies, according to police at the time of the incidents.
“Wilson would borrow a female acquaintance’s vehicle Fisher was the person who would commit the robberies. During the robberies Wilson would be on the cell phone with Fisher, telling Fisher what to say while the robbery was taking place. Wilson was the person who orchestrated the robberies,” a document for the guilty plea stated.
In the March 7 Ville Platte robbery, Fisher displayed a firearm to the pharmacist in the Ville Platte Clinic Pharmacy.
“He demanded controlled substances from the pharmacist. He filled his backpack with the controlled substances and left. Wilson was waiting outside in the get-away vehicle. As Fisher came out, the pharmacists from the pharmacy were chasing him. Wilson, who was on the phone with Fisher as Fisher left the pharmacy, told him to change directions and he would pick him up at the back of the pharmacy. Fisher complied with the request. After Wilson picked up Fisher, police attempted to stop them leading to a high-speed chase. Wilson wrecked in a curve, disabling the vehicle,” the court document stated.
Fisher fled on foot with the backpack, pills and weapon. Wilson was arrested in the vehicle, which contained pills, the document stated.
Both confessed to their roles, the document stated.