Pocatello man arrested in connection to armed robbery reaches plea agreement
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POCATELLO — A man who was arrested in March after he allegedly robbed another man has reached a plea deal.
Ridge Alban Parsons, 31, has pleaded guilty to felony charges for robbery, burglary and two counts of fraud by possession of a stolen bank card, according to court records. In exchange, the Bannock County Prosecutor’s Office has dismissed felony charges of possession of a gun by a convicted felon, a deadly weapon enhancement and two counts of felony grand theft.
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Parsons was arrested on March 11 by Pocatello police and Bannock County sheriff’s deputies following an investigation into a March 5 robbery.
Pocatello police received a call from a man on March 6 reporting a robbery from the night prior. The victim said a man armed with a handgun had taken a motorcycle, motorcycle battery and an assortment of tools.
After being evasive at first, the victim eventually told officers that they knew the suspect.
With officers listening in, the victim spoke with Parsons over the phone.
Parsons told the victim that he had to take the items at the behest of the “the people he worked for.” He also told the victim that he told the people he worked for that he had beaten the victim up, telling the victim to have someone punch him in the face so it would look “more believable.”
Officers told the victim to tell Parsons the use of a gun during the robbery made them fear for their life. Parsons responded, “I had to scare you to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
The maximum penalty for each fraud charge is five years in prison and is $50,000 in fines while burglary carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years in prison, and fines up to $50,000. Parsons could be sentenced to up to life in prison and a $50,000 fine for robbery.
He is scheduled for a sentencing hearing before District Judge Robert Naftz on June 27.