Southport man sentenced as habitual felon for tobacco store robbery

SOUTHPORT, NC (WWAY) – A Southport man will spend at least 6 years in prison for robbing the Tobacco Road Outlet in Southport.

District Attorney Jon David says Gary Shelton was sentenced to 76-104 months in prison after pleading guilty to Common Law Robbery and to being a Habitual Felon.

On June 29, 2015, Shelton entered Tobacco Road Outlet and demanded the store clerk give him all of the money in the register. Within an hour, the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office had arrested Shelton for the crime.

Shelton’s prior criminal record allowed for the State of North Carolina to indict him as a habitual felon.

Shelton will spend a minimum of over 6 and a maximum of over 8 years in state prison.