Summary: Two men accused of stealing soft drinks from an Aloha convenience store, and then beating the store's clerk when asked to pay for them, have been convicted and sentenced in Washington County Circuit Court.
The case: On May 12, two men walked into a 7-Eleven store in Aloha and each grabbed a Big Gulp soda and walked out. The clerk followed them, telling them to come back inside and pay for the drinks, according to authorities. Both men returned but became belligerent. One of the men, whom deputies identified as Thomas Mercado-Rosas, 21, of Aloha, punched the clerk and knocked him down, after which Alejandro Loarca-Bautista, 22, of Cornelius, began kicking the clerk, who was still on the floor, authorities said. Another employee called 911, and the pair ran away. The clerk suffered significant head injuries and was taken to a hospital trauma center. Both suspects were found at a nearby apartment complex. Mercado-Rosas and Loarca-Bautista were arrested on accusations of assault and robbery.
Update: On July 8, both Mercado-Rosas and Loarca-Bautista pleaded guilty to one count each of attempted second-degree robbery and attempted second-degree assault.
Sentence: Mercado-Rosas and Loarca-Bautista were each sentenced to four years in prison, followed by three years of post-prison supervision. Each defendant must pay fines of $400 and attorney's fees of $1,858.
-- Roger Gregory