A Hopkinsville man convicted for robberies in 2017 will be allowed to leave the jail for work release as he serves his sentence.
Formal sentencing was held Friday morning in Christian Circuit Court for 21-year old Tequan Owen of Hopkinsville. Owen pled guilty in October for allegedly being involved in armed robberies of the Circle K gas stations on Lafayette Road and Russellville Road.
He worked with Juandez Bussell in both of those crimes and also worked with him in an August, 2017 home invasion and robbery on Kenwood Drive. The pair allegedly fired gunshots from a vehicle during that incident.
A victim was shot in the leg during an October, 2017 attempted robbery at a home on Greenville Road and Bussell and Owen also pled guilty to their roles in that crime.
In all, Owen pled guilty to three counts of second-degree robbery, one count of first-degree attempted robbery and second-degree burglary.
The deal comes with a five-year recommended sentence and Owen has already served over three years in the Christian County Jail.
He’s working at MSSC while out on bond and defense attorney Eric Bearden provided a letter from that company vouching he’s a good employee.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Rick Boling opposed probation and work release on behalf of at least one of the victims.
Judge John Atkins denied probation, but allowed Owen to turn himself in at the jail and then check out to go to work as long as he maintains his employment.
Bussell also previously pled guilty to his roles in the robberies and also received a five-year sentence.