Craig Lemke was sentenced to 68 years to life in prison on Thursday. Lake County Jail photo.

LAKEPORT – A man found guilty last month of robbing an elderly couple received a stiff sentence Thursday.

Craig Alvin Lemke, 45, of Lakeport was convicted Oct. 2 of a February 2006 home invasion robbery in Lower Lake, as Lake County News previously reported.

Lemke was found guilty of two counts of first degree robbery, first degree burglary, elder theft, two counts of false imprisonment of an elderly person and grand theft of firearms, according to a previous report from Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff.

Lemke also was found guilty of several special allegations, including two previous “strikes,” three prior prison terms between 1986 and 1996, committing a felony while released on own recognizance and crimes against elders were found to be true, Hinchcliff reported in an October interview.

Lemke's attorney, Jason Webster, attempted to get one of the strikes dismissed, but Judge Stephen Hedstrom didn't agree, said Hinchcliff.

On Thursday, Hedstrom sentenced Lemke to 68 years to life in prison, Hinchcliff said.

The prior strikes, which Hedstrom wouldn't discount, doubled the sentence, said Hinchcliff.

Lemke's prior strikes, said Hinchcliff, “arose out of a case just like this.”

In that particular case, Hinchcliff said Lemke went into a home, bound a man and his 15-year-old nephew with tape, and robbed them.

“He went to prison for that for seven years,” Hinchcliff said.

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