Man Gets 16 Years In Robbery Of Mpls Restaurant

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A 42-year-old Minneapolis man was sentenced to more than 16 years in prison in connection with the Feb. 10, 2011 armed robbery of a Minneapolis restaurant.

Charles Vincent Fletcher was sentenced in Minneapolis Federal Court Wednesday to 195 months in prison in connection with the incident. He was charged with interference of commerce by robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm on June 15, 2011, and pleaded guilty on Oct. 13, 2011.

Fletcher admitted entering the Erte Restaurant on Feb. 10, 2011, requesting to see a manager. He then pulled out a 9-millimeter pistol, forced two employees into an office and demanded money. There was no money available, so he then took a cordless phone, a wallet and a set of keys from the employees.

When authorities arrived to the scene, Fletcher dropped the wallet and the gun and fled the scene. He was arrested a short time later. Fletcher has previous felony convictions for third-degree burglary in Dakota County in 1997 and two felony convictions in Hennepin County for third-degree burglary in 2006.