Men charged in convenience store robberies

Two South Range men accused of robbing a trio of Superior convenience stores within the past month made initial appearances in Douglas County Circuit Court on Thursday.

Adam Lawrence Burhans, 21, faces felony counts of armed robbery and armed robbery as a party to a crime and one count of misdemeanor theft as a party to a crime. Michael Eric Terry, 22, faces one count of armed robbery and one count of misdemeanor theft.

Cash bail of $2,000 was set for Burhans and a $5,000 signature bond was set for Terry. As a condition of their bail or bond, both men were ordered to have no contact with the three convenience stores that were robbed, the Billings Park ICO at 2704 N. 21st St. and the Citgo stores at 2821 and 4202 E. Second St.

According to the criminal complaints:

Terry told Superior Police Detective Jack Curphy that he and Burhans drove in Burhans’ car to the ICO the afternoon of Feb. 19. Terry went into the store while Burhans waited in the car. Terry waited until a customer left, then picked up a candy bar and walked to the counter, handing the clerk a $1 bill. As the clerk opened the cash drawer, Terry reached over, stole two $50 bills from the till and took off running to Burhans’ vehicle. According to the ICO cashier, the man who took the money held a small black-bladed knife. Terry denied having a knife.

Terry told Curphy that he and Burhans drove to the Citgo at 4202 E. Second St. on Sunday. Burhans again stayed in the vehicle while Terry walked to the store. He picked up crackers, went to the counter and handed the clerk a $1 bill. When the clerk opened the cash drawer, Terry reached over and grabbed about $40, then fled to the car. He said he was the driver for the Feb. 21 robbery at the Citgo at 2821 E. Second St. and Burhans entered the store. The clerk said a man entered the store, set a bottle of soda on the counter and handed the clerk a $10 bill. When cash drawer opened, he tried to grab money from the till. The clerk said “no” but the man had his left hand up in the air over his shoulder and was holding what appeared to be a knife. A total of $120 was taken from the till.

If convicted, the men face up to 40 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $100,000 on each armed robbery charge and nine months imprisonment and a maximum fine of $10,000 on the theft charge. Burhans remained in custody at the Douglas County Jail on Thursday. His next court appearance is set for Wednesday. Terry remains free on a $5,000 signature bond. He is also facing felony charges for delivering heroin and possession of narcotic drugs in a separate case. A preliminary hearing for both cases is set for March 27.

Burhans was convicted of taking part in a string of residential burglaries in rural Douglas County from November 2010 through May 2011 and was sentenced to nine months in jail and five years of probation. Terry’s record includes one conviction for misdemeanor disorderly conduct and a number of ordinance violations, according to online court records.

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