By ROBIN SHANNON
L’Observateur

EDGARD – A 20-year-old Garyville man, who was convicted of armed robbery and attempted armed robbery in April of this year, was sentenced Monday to 55 years in prison for the 2006 incident.

District Court Judge J. Sterling Snowdy levied the sentence for Rodney Mason Jr. during a morning hearing at the St. John Courthouse in Edgard.

Prosecutors in the case used DNA evidence to link Mason to the robbery, which occurred in July of 2006 at the Old Tyme Saver Store in the 1700 block of Carrollwood Drive in LaPlace. An undisclosed amount of cash was taken from the register inside the store and surveillance video showed Mason tried to rob another man inside the store.

During an investigation into the incident, detectives discovered clothing worn by Mason during the robbery inside a getaway car not far from the scene.

In addition, Snowdy sentenced Mason to 50 years for trying to rob the other customer inside the store. The sentences will run concurrently.