LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Monday a local man who had attempted to rob at gunpoint a Lakeport business earlier this year was sentenced to six years in prison.
Lonny Teter, 69, of Lakeport received the sentence from Judge Andrew Blum, according to Chief Deputy District Attorney Rich Hinchcliff, who prosecuted the case.
As part of an agreement reached with the District Attorney's Office, Teter pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and assault with a firearm, and admitted that he personally used a handgun in the commission of the attempted robbery, Hinchcliff said.
Hinchcliff said the six-year sentence Teter received was the middle term for the charges. He could have served as little as four years and four months, or as many as 13 years.
Teter's defense attorney, Tom Quinn, chose not to offer comment on the case when reached by Lake County News on Monday.
Hinchcliff originally had charged Teter with two counts of attempted robbery for incidents that happened in January and February.
It's alleged that on Jan. 31, Teter – wearing dark camouflage clothing and a nylon stocking over his face, and armed with a revolver – was seen behind the Lakeport Sears store, located at 2570 S. Main St.
He is alleged to have pointed the handgun at one of the store's employees then disappeared before sheriff's deputies arrived.
Less than a month later, on Feb. 21, Teter would be arrested after he attempted to rob Premier Flooring – located next door to Sears – at gunpoint, Hinchcliff said.
Sufi Ratcliffe, who owns the store along with husband Justin, was in the store when Teter, Hinchcliff said.
Justin Ratcliffe went into the store to find his wife being chased by Teter, who Hinchcliff said was pointing a gun at the woman.
Hinchcliff said Justin Ratcliffe hit Teter in the face with flooring boards and wrestled with him to get the gun away.
On Monday, Justin Ratcliffe gave a victim impact statement to the court. “He said Teter was trying to get the gun pointed at him,” with Teter's finger on the trigger, Hinchcliff said.
Hinchcliff said an employee from UCC Rentals, which is next door to Premier Flooring, came to Ratcliffe's aid and helped subdue Teter.
While Teter admitted to police that he showed up to rob the store, Hinchcliff said Teter later claimed that he was very depressed – due in part to an impending divorce – and that he was hoping for “suicide by cop,” or to be shot at the scene.
But Hinchcliff said that claim didn't add up when considering Teter's actions – including wearing dark clothing, the nylon over his face to disguise his features and latex gloves, and his actions in chasing Sufi Ratcliffe and then struggling with her husband.
“The evidence we have does not indicate he just showed up to try to get cops to kill him,” Hinchcliff said.
Residents of Sterling Shores mobile home park in north Lakeport, where Teter had lived, sent in letters on his behalf, as did members of his Elks Lodge, said Hinchcliff.
Maria Teter, who is divorcing Lonny Teter, gave a statement on his behalf in court, explaining that he was a nice man who had struggled with depression, anxiety and anger issues for many years, and wasn't getting the proper medications from doctors, according to Hinchcliff.
Lonny Teter, who has remained in custody since his arrest in February, will serve his time in the California prison system, not in the Lake County Jail, Hinchcliff said.
Because the robberies are violent felonies, Hinchcliff said Teter must serve 85 percent of his sentence before being eligible for release.
Hinchcliff said Teter had no criminal history prior to the incidents earlier this year.
“Even the judge said this is just a really unusual case,” Hinchcliff said.
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