A jury took 10 minutes Wednesday to find a Panama City man guilty of the 2023 robbery of a U.S. 98 convenience store.
Nestor Omar Perez, 26, was found guilty as charged of Robbery with a Firearm and Grand Theft (more than $750 but less than $5,000). He was arrested by Panama City Police Department Deputy Chief Kristain Shaw minutes after the Oct. 13, 2023 robbery in the 3000 block of U.S. 98.
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Prosecutor Morgan McAfee called 12 witnesses and presented evidence that it was Perez who walked into the store that day, confronted a clerk with a gun, and committed the robbery.
“The jury’s 10-minute decision showed the strength of the evidence in this case,” McAfee said. “Circumstantial cases can be difficult, but the evidence in this one was indisputable.”
The evidence showed that the defendant, wearing a jacket partially concealing his face, confronted an employee inside the store and pointed a gun at him. The defendant grabbed money from the register and fled north on Beck Avenue.
Minutes later, with police saturating the area, Shaw spotted the defendant walking in socks near 18th Street and Wilmont Ave. When searched, the defendant had the gun used in the robbery which had distinctive tape wrapped around the handle. They also found cash in his pocket.
Lt. Richard Thore was searching the area as well and noticed a home near 17th Street and Chestnut Avenue that had a tall wooden fence blocking the view of the yard from the street. He decided to check the yard and saw a large city trash container by the house. He looked inside and found a pair of green shoes – and other clothing – that matched the ones the suspect was wearing on video when he fled the store.
Officers also found several hundred dollars nearby on the ground. The amount found on the ground combined with the amount found in the defendant’s pocket matched the amount missing from the store’s register.
The defendant’s car was found parked a short distance away.
Sentencing is set for Sept. 18.
State Attorney Larry Basford thanked the Panama City Police Department for its fast response and thorough investigation that helped lead to a quick resolution.
For more information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.