2008 Woodie Awards
20-year-old who robbed UMD students at gunpoint convicted
Lisa Kunkel
Issue date: 10/15/08 Section: News
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On Oct. 8, 2008, Deontate Laraile Leatherberry, 20, was convicted of Second Degree Aggravated Robbery and First Degree Witness Tampering, according to St. Louis County court records. Leatherberry pleaded not guilty to all charges.
According to Sgt. Sean Huls of university police, the two male students, Matt Anderson and Michael Kiely had arrangements to meet Leatherberry near the UMD campus to sell marijuana to him.
Rather than paying the money the students had requested, "Leatherberry pulled a gun on the two and took all the cash and marijuana," Huls said. "This occurred on Sept. 25, 2007."
The victims reported the incident to the police five days later after recognizing Leatherberry in the UMD area, according to Hulls.
On Oct. 4, Leatherberry allegedly went to an address at 120 B Oakland apartments where the victims lived.
According to the criminal complaint, the students arrived at the apartment where two of them were confronted by Leatherberry. A television, X-box, computer and other items were stacked by the door with apparent intent of burglary.
Leatherberry threatened the students, saying he was going to shoot whoever told the police of the previous robbery. He also said "he would return with his 'boys' to take care of business," according to Huls.
Leatherberry was taken into custody in Coon Rapids, Minn., on Oct. 12.
Sentencing will be held at 11 a.m. Nov. 3. He currently remains in custody at the St. Louis County Jail, according to Huls.
If proven guilty, Leatherberry could serve up to 20 years in prison.
Since his 2007 charges, Leatherberry was also charged earlier this year for providing a false name to police, according to the court records.
According to the Duluth News Tribune, both Anderson and Kieley pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sell marijuana in the Fifth Degree.
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