A Cape Coral man has been sentenced to nine years in prison for robbing a pharmacy with a knife and stealing prescription drugs.
Christopher Robert McLain, 21, of 2784 N.W. Third St., entered into a plea deal with state prosecutors last month and pleaded no contest to one count each of robbery with a weapon and trafficking in illegal drugs. The judge gave McLain nine years in prison on each count, which will be served concurrently.
McLain’s father declined to comment on the sentencing Wednesday.
On May 17, Cape police responded to a 911 call reporting a robbery at the Walgreen’s, at 2710 Del Prado Blvd. S. A man armed with a large knife had jumped the counter in the pharmacy and stole medications from the safe.
Officials reported that no one was injured during the incident.
The man fled the store and was observed entering a medical center across the street. Police located McLain on the second flood of the facility and he was taken into custody. He matched the description of the robber and reportedly admitted to the crime. The knife was located in the Walgreen’s parking lot.
As McLain was booked into the Lee County Jail, he was additionally charged with possession of a controlled substance, smuggling contraband into a detention facility, trafficking in an opium derivative and destroying evidence.
The state did not file those charges against McLain.
According to officials, a corrections officer located 150 Oxycodone pills hidden in McLain’s crotch area during a pat-down search while he was being booked. McLain was forced to turn over the pills and a book of matches, but as he did, he tried to consume two pills. He was forced to spit them out.
The state did file a third charge against McLain of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. The charge was nolle prossed, according to court documents.
Samantha Syoen, spokeswoman for the State Attorney’s Office, said McLain was credited 235 days for time served. His sentence also included a $50,000 fine, hundreds of dollars in court costs and five years probation following his release.