NORTH COAST, Calif. – A Crescent City man accused of trying to rob two women at knifepoint in two Mendocino County shopping centers five days before last Christmas was found guilty Wednesday at a nonjury trial held in Department B of the Mendocino County Superior Court in Ukiah.
After hearing the available evidence, Mendocino County Superior Court Judge John Behnke entered guilty verdicts against 50-year-old Robert Lee White – also known as Robert Stanley – for an attempted robbery in the second degree of Royleen Eriksen on Dec. 20, 2012, outside of Lucky’s in the Pear Tree Shopping Center, and a separate attempted robbery in the second degree of Patricia DeLapo minutes later outside of J.C. Penney’s.
White also was found guilty of attempting to forcibly dissuade a witness, Steve Eriksen, from seeking White’s arrest.
The court found true that White was armed with and used a knife in each of the above three crimes.
White was found not guilty of one count of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of elder abuse.
The prosecutor handling the case was District Attorney David Eyster. White’s defense was directed by Deputy Public Defender Dan Haehl.
The court also found true that White had previously suffered four prior strike convictions:
- Robbery, in 1999 in the Humboldt County Superior Court;
- Robbery, in 1999 in the Alameda County Superior Court;
- Criminal threats, in 1996 in the Del Norte County Superior Court; and
- Residential burglary with the personal use of a firearm, in 1982 in the Santa Clara County Superior Court.
Given the mandates of the Three Strikes law, Eyster noted that the combination of all guilty verdicts and findings expose White to a state prison commitment of 98 years to life.
Eyster expressed his appreciation to the Ukiah Police Department for its quick response and thorough investigation in December.
He also thanked the victims for their willingness to come to court to provide necessary testimony, testimony that, according to Eyster, “makes sure that this very dangerous man will no longer victimize Christmas shoppers – or anybody else for that matter – now and in the future.”
White is schedule for sentencing at 8:30 a.m. Friday, May 17, before Judge Behnke, Eyster’s office reported.