LAKE COUNTY – A man sentenced Thursday to a hefty prison term for a home invasion robbery has filed an appeal.

Judge Stephen Hedstrom sentenced Craig Alvin Lemke, 45, to 68 years to life in prison for the February 2006 home invasion robbery of an elderly Lower Lake couple, as Lake County News previously reported Friday.

Lemke was convicted by a jury of the crime on Oct. 2.

The stiff sentence resulted, in part, because the jury found Lemke was guilty of two prior “strikes,” one of them a similar home robbery, Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff said Thursday.

On Friday, Lemke's attorney, Jason Webster, reported that Lemke filed an appeal on Thursday, the day of the sentencing. However, Webster said he wasn't able to further discuss the appeal.

Along with Lemke, Joe Moncivaiz Jr. was accused of taking part in the robbery. According to a previous report from Hinchcliff, the two men had bound the elderly couple with tape before stealing thousands of dollars in cash, guns and ammunition.

Moncivaiz admitted his participation and pleaded guilty to first-degree burglary, Hinchcliff stated in an October interview.

Webster said Moncivaiz received a “substantial deal” in the case and was reportedly sentenced to only four years in prison.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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