A Colorado man tried to trade a baggie of drugs for a Whopper at a Burger King drive-thru and ended up with a serving of prison time instead.
Eugene Robertson, 40, was sentenced earlier this month for a drive-thru incident that led to a spree of crimes he committed in the Denver suburb of Aurora on October 17, 2022.
After brandishing a gun at a fast-food worker—who later reported feeling threatened after refusing a baggie of drugs—Robertson entered a nearby 7-Eleven and aimed his weapon at the clerk’s head, as reported by the Sentinel Colorado.
Robertson then spotted a surveillance camera inside the store and fired at the screen before making his escape. As he exited, he aimed and shot at two individuals in the parking lot, according to the Arapahoe County District Attorney’s Office.
A witness at the convenience store informed authorities that there was something unusual about Robertson. At the time of the incident, he was speaking about God and carrying a Bible with a purple cover.
Later that night, a woman who was friends with Robertson called 911 to report that he had fired shots after she declined to open the door of her apartment, where she was with several others, according to prosecutors.
Police later discovered Robertson concealed behind bushes at the woman’s apartment complex and took him into custody. Fortunately, no one was injured during the series of incidents.
The Details Behind the Sentence Handed Down After the Suspect Pointed a Gun at a Burger King Worker
In April, a jury convicted Robertson on 17 charges, which included eight counts of attempted murder. The sentences for these offenses were handed down individually, resulting in a substantial total sentence.
On August 9th, Robertson was ordered to serve more than 143 years behind bars for the incidents.
Eric Ross, a spokesperson for 18th Judicial District Attorney John Kellner explained the reasoning behind the sentence.
“We consider this 143-year sentence justice for the multiple victims he put in fear that night. Jurors recognized the severity of the crimes this defendant committed. We believe the judge imposed an appropriate sentence,” Ross detailed.
Officers discovered that Robertson had an outstanding warrant related to a March 2021 incident involving a vehicle crash and shooting. He allegedly fled the scene, removed his pants, and then flagged down an Aurora police officer, who arrested him for suspected illegal firearm possession.
Robertson also admitted to consuming marijuana and alcohol before meeting officers. This violated a previous court order from Arapahoe County, according to the police arrest affidavit.
The affidavit also revealed that Robertson had previously served an 84-month sentence for felony distribution of crack cocaine. This rendered him ineligible to possess a firearm.