A man and woman who teamed for a spree of Lancaster County store robberies will each serve at least a decade in prison.
Gary S. Dorsey, 57, and Tyshea Thomas, 42, recently entered guilty pleas to several felony counts of robbery and related charges regarding hold-ups on Christmas Eve and in early January.
Lancaster County President Judge Dennis Reinaker sentenced Thomas to 10 to 20 years in prison. County Judge Donald Totaro ordered the same term for Dorsey.
Assistant District Attorney Travis S. Anderson outlined in court the robberies which included weapons and threats to kill. Thomas a held box cutter to one clerk and a knife to the neck of another in separate robberies.
In a Christmas Eve robbery at the A-Plus on Lititz Pike in Manheim Township, Thomas told the clerk, “I’m not playing with you. Open it (the register) or you’ll never see another Christmas again,” as recited in court by Anderson.
Thomas also left behind a crucial piece of evidence in that heist: a debit card with her name on it.
Anderson noted that it was also concerning that Thomas made no efforts to conceal her identity, such as a mask.
Thomas apologized in court to the victims.
She pleaded to involvement in the following robberies:
- A-Plus on Lititz Pike, Manheim Township, on Dec. 24, 2017;
- US Gas Mart on North Lime Street, Lancaster city, on Jan. 5;
- Turkey Hill on East Chestnut Street, Lancaster city, on Jan. 8;
- Family Dollar on North Franklin Street, Lancaster city, on Jan. 8.
Dorsey admitted to involvement in the above crimes and a Christmas Eve robbery at Turkey Hill on East Main Street in East Hempfield Township.
Lancaster city police Detective Stanley Roache, Manheim Township police Detective Nicholas Fritz, and East Hempfield Township police Detective David Bender filed charges.
The pair also have pending robberies charges in Dauphin County.
MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @BrettHambright