Alexander J. Wheelehan, 32, of Imperial has been charged for allegedly using a BB gun to steal cash from a Dollar General Store in Arnold, according to court documents.
Wheelehan allegedly robbed the store on Dec. 21 and was arrested the next day at his home in Imperial, according to a probable-cause statement in the case said.
He was charged Dec. 22 with first-degree robbery, a class A felony punishable by 10 to 30 years or life in prison.
Wheelehan was being held in the Jefferson County Jail without bond on Monday (Jan. 4), a Jail spokeswoman said.
On Dec. 21, Wheelehan reportedly was seen holding a gun and entering the Dollar General, 4212 Jeffco Blvd. He allegedly walked behind a clerk at a cash register, grabbed the woman from behind, pointed the gun at her and demanded she open the register, the probable-cause statement said.
While Wheelehan reportedly restrained the woman at the cash register, another store employee opened the register and gave Wheelehan the money from inside the drawer. Wheelehan then allegedly left the store with $65, the report said.
He was seen outside the store with another man before the alleged robbery. The man who was seen with Wheelehan was at the register at the time of the robbery and allegedly pointed to the store’s front door just prior to Wheelehan entering the business, according to the report.
The man who reportedly pointed to the door remained in the store after the robbery and allegedly identified Wheelehan as the robber, the report said.
The probable-cause statement does not indicate whether the man seen with Wheelehan was arrested in connection with the robbery, and court records do not show any charges against the man stemming from the incident.
When police found Wheelehan at his home, he allegedly confessed to the robbery. He also allegedly told police he threw the gun in a wooded area near the store, the report said.
The BB gun was recovered near the store, the probable-cause statement said.
Wheelehan previously pleaded guilty to at least 13 misdemeanor offenses between 2009 and 2016, including assault, driving while intoxicated, theft, traffic violations and littering, court documents show.