Orange County News
For Immediate Release                                                                           Contact: Christopher Borek
Thursday, June 07, 2018                                                                    845.291.3276, 845.238.4245c

District Attorney Hoovler Announces Guilty Plea in 

Town of Monroe Armed Robberies

Defendant Robbed Three Businesses While Displaying or 

Simulating the Display of a Gun

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that on Wednesday, June 6, 2018, John Elliott, age 30, of Woodbury, pled guilty to two counts of Robbery in the First Degree, in connection with three robberies that he was charged with in the Town of Monroe between December 2016 and December 2017. Elliott faces a sentence of up to thirteen years in prison when he is sentenced before County Court Judge William DeProspo on July 20, 2018.

The prosecution alleged that on December 23, 2016, Elliott entered the Charming Charlie women’s store in Monroe, displayed a gun, and demanded money. The staff at the store gave Elliott over $900.00 in cash, and Elliott fled. Similarly, on February 14, 2017, Elliott entered the Edible Arrangements store in Monroe and displayed a gun. He thereby robbed the store of over $1,300.00 in cash, and fled. Elliott pled guilty in connection with those two robberies. In addition, Elliot was charged with Robbery in the Third Degree in connection with the December 13, 2017, robbery of Sallies Beauty Supplies in Monroe, where he was alleged to have simulated the presence of a gun in his pocket, and thereby robbed the store of approximately $300.00.

District Attorney Hoovler thanked the New York State Police for their efforts in the investigation and prosecution of the case.

“People are entitled to feel secure in their places of business, as well as in their homes,” said District Attorney Hoovler, “and people who violate that security deserve to be punished. This defendant violated that security, not only at gunpoint or under the threat of a gun, but multiple times. Orange County’s citizens can feel just a bit safer while the defendant is in custody for more than the next decade.”

District Attorney Hoovler commended Senior Assistant District Attorney Leah Canton and Assistant District Attorney Eric Parker for their prosecution of the case.

A criminal charge is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the State of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.