WARSAW — The Fort Wayne man who was charged after an armed robbery of a local Dollar General was sentenced today, June 29, in Kosciusko Superior Court I.

Edward Joe Smith, 45, Fort Wayne, had entered a plea of guilty to armed robbery with a deadly weapon, a level 3 felony. Smith’s sentencing had an unusual start when his attorney, Joseph Sobek, advised the court that Smith was requesting new counsel and wanted to retract his guilty plea. Smith immediately followed-up, stating that it had been a misunderstanding and he wanted the “proceedings to proceed.”

Judge David Cates asked Smith several times if he was indeed satisfied with Sobek’s services and if he wished to continue with the guilty plea. Smith said yes.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, officers with the Warsaw Police Department responded to an armed robbery at Dollar General on April 4. When the officer spoke with a female employee, she advised she was working the cash register when Smith approached her with a black handgun. She advised that Smith placed the gun on the counter with his hand on it and stated he wanted all the money from both registers, totaling $868. She gathered the money from the first register before Smith went behind the counter to retrieve money from the second register.

A female customer who was at the counter finishing her transaction agreed with the teller’s report. She advised that she became fearful for her life and Smith told her it was going to be okay.

Surveillance video was obtained and reviewed. The footage clearly showed Smith entering Dollar General, walking up to the counter and displaying a handgun before receiving money from the first register. The gun can also clearly be seen when the subject went behind the counter to receive money from the second register.

Smith apologized to the teller and the customer that were present at the time of the robbery, stating that he was sorry.

Smith continued, “I look really bad on paper…I’m not that guy.”

Judge Cates was quick to disagree, listing a number of Smith’s prior convictions. Sobek had asked on behalf of Smith that Judge Cates make any sentencing concurrent to sentences Smith is currently serving in Allen County and Ohio for the robbery of two Family Dollar stores. The court denied this, sentencing Smith to 12 years at the Indiana Department of Corrections to be served consecutively to any standing sentencing. Five years were suspended under the condition that Smith commits no additional crimes.

Smith will receive 252 days jail time credit.