Alaska State Troopers have arrested one man charged in a Ninilchik robbery, but seek another suspect in the June 4 incident.
Troopers have filed an arrest warrant for Clarence S. Hock, 23, and issued a wanted poster today. On Saturday morning, troopers arrested without incident a companion of Hock, Sean Carpenter, 25, at his Homer home.
Troopers described Hock as being 5-feet-9-inches tall and weighing 195 pounds with blond hair and blue eyes. Troopers said Hock is believed to be armed and driving a white GMC truck, license plate GLP 743. Anyone who sees Hock or has information on his whereabouts is asked to call 911 or the Alaska State Troopers Anchor Point post at 235-8239, reference incident number AK15042309.
Troopers have charged both men with first-degree robbery and second-degree theft and charged Carpenter with third-degree assault, all felonies. In a separate incident from May 25, troopers also charged Carpenter with two counts of fourth-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance for possession of heroin and oxycodone and fifth-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance for possession of Xanax.
According to criminal complaints, troopers said Carpenter and Hock met a man at an Anchor Point pawn shop and said they would pay him to drive them to Kenai. The man said he knew Carpenter and Hock from previous contacts. The man noticed friends of Carpenter and Hock following his car, but at the time did not think it strange that they would ask for a ride. In Ninilchik they stopped at the beach, and while there, troopers alleged while sitting in the seat behind the driver, Carpenter strangled the man with his seat belt and demanded his wallet, and that Hock took the man’s wallet with about $680 that he had gotten from pawning items. The driver said Carpenter grabbed a knife and hatchet from the car, and then demanded his cell phone and keys. Hock and Carpenter then ran to the other car that had been following them. The driver flagged down a car and called troopers. Troopers said the man had fresh scratch marks on his neck. The driver identified another man who was in the car following him. Troopers do not know the role of the other people involved, but said in the complaint it appears the robbery was preplanned.
Hock and Carpenter also have arrest warrants from the Anchorage Police Department, Hock for driving with a revoked license and Carpenter for removal of merchandise. Hock also pleaded guilty in February to driving while license revoked and was sentenced to 100 days in jail with 75 days suspended and placed on probation for one year.
Michael Armstrong can be reached at michael.armstrong@homernews.com.
