By Rich Cholodofsky

Published: Thursday, October 4, 2012, 12:01 a.m.
Updated: Thursday, October 4, 2012

A Greensburg man was sentenced to serve up to 20 years in prison for the armed robbery of a Hempfield business more than two years ago.

Evan Lamont Hughes, 30, pleaded guilty Wednesday to a robbery charge for his role in the Jan. 18, 2010, heist at the Norwin Messenger Service along Route 30.

According to police, Hughes and another man entered the business with a .45-caliber handgun, ordered employees to lie on the floor and demanded money. The men left with more than $8,000 in checks and money orders, police said.

Hughes was arrested several weeks later after he was identified to police by his partner, who implicated him in the robbery.

In court on Wednesday, Hughes also pleaded guilty to three unrelated cases in which he was accused of selling Ecstasy and other drugs, illegal possession of guns, and drunken driving.

Pezze imposed a series of concurrent sentences that totaled 10 to 20 years in prison.

“I hope you recognize that you have children and you are not setting a good example for them,” Pezze said.

Hughes is the second man to be sent to prison for the Norwin Messenger Service robbery.

In July, Gino M. Conti, 33, of Greensburg pleaded guilty for his role in the holdup and was sentenced by Pezze to 10 to 20 years in prison.

Charges against Heather L. Beckwith, 28, of Greensburg, are still pending. Prosecutors believe Beckwith worked at the Hempfield business and provided information to Conti about where the money was kept.

Also in July, Conti received an additional sentence of 18 to 46 months in prison for causing a car crash on March 5, 2009, in Hempfield that seriously injured two motorists.

Rich Cholodofsky is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-830-6293 or rcholodofsky@tribweb.com.

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