A man accused of robbing the Grog Shop, a liquor store in Homer, waived his indictment and accepted a plea deal on May 22 at the Kenai Courthouse.
John Mumey, 51, who was originally charged with robbery in the first degree, pleaded guilty to a charge of second-degree robbery, a felony charge.
According to the affidavit, on Dec. 17 John Mumey allegedly robbed a Grog Shop employee at gunpoint, and fled out the front entrance with cash from the register. The Homer Police Department searched the area and found items related to the robbery nearby including the cash drawer, cash, a bottle of beer and what appeared to be a homemade explosive device.
Police said that on the night of the robbery John Mumey and Terry Lashley-Elliot met James Mumey, John Mumey’s brother, at the Heritage Hotel and that James Mumey, 49, gave John Mumey a handgun, a .22-caliber silver Jennings brand semi-automatic pistol known to gun collectors as the original “Saturday night special,” a cheap, poor quality handgun.
John Mumey is alleged to have used the gun in robbing the Pioneer Avenue liquor store.
An informant had earlier given police information about the Grog Shop robbery that led to the arrest of John Mumey and Lashley-Elliot, who allegedly knew about John Mumey’s intent to rob the liquor store and assisted with the disposal of the handgun and clothes used in the robbery.
James Mumey was staying at the Heritage Hotel on Dec. 17 and was arrested on Dec. 18 for fourth-degree assault. Police also said the informant got a brown leather coat alleged to belong to James Mumey. Police got the coat and found four .22-caliber bullets in a pocket.
On April 2, James Mumey pleaded guilty to an amended charge of tampering with physical evidence. He was sentenced to 12 months in jail with nine months suspended, ordered to forfeit all items seized, ordered not to have contact with the Grog Shop and testify truthfully in a court case, State v. John Mumey. James Mumey was placed on probation for three years.
The agreement John Mumey pleaded guilty to calls for a sentence of nine years with four suspended and five years probation. He will pay joint restitution with Lashley-Elliot in an amount to be determined. He was also ordered to forfeit all items seized and have no contact with the Grog Shop. His no contact orders with James Mumey and Lashley-Elliot were lifted.
John Mumey’s sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 26.
Kaylee Osowski can be reached at kaylee.osowski@peninsulaclarion.com. Michael Armstrong can be reached at michael.armstrong@homernews.com.