Gray woman admits to helping rob local tobacco store

The second member of a Gray duo charged in the armed robbery of a London tobacco store has pleaded guilty to her part in the crime.

Forty-seven-year-old Darla McCormick, who was scheduled to go to trial Monday in Laurel Circuit Court on charges of first-degree robbery and first-degree persistent felony offender, instead pleaded guilty to an amended charge of first-degree criminal facilitation to commit robbery. As part of the agreement, the persistent felony offender charge was dismissed.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, prosecutors recommended a three-year prison sentence. Circuit Court Judge Tom Jensen conducted the formal sentencing Monday and accepted the plea agreement.

McCormick, who was arrested in April, will receive credit for the time she has spent in custody toward the service of her sentence.

Her co-defendant in the case, 32-year-old Shawn Stehlin, pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery on Oct. 3 in exchange for a recommended 10-year prison sentence.

Stehlin is scheduled to return to Laurel Circuit Court at 1 p.m. on Nov. 15 for formal sentencing.

McCormick and Stehlin were accused of robbing Brock’s Tobacco Store on Ky. 229 on April 16.

According to Laurel County Sheriff John Root, a lone gunman, wearing a panty hose mask, came into the store, pointed a pistol at the clerk and demanded money. He then fled the scene in a maroon Chevrolet Trail Blazer driven by a female accomplice.

A witness followed the getaway vehicle and obtained the license plate number.

Deputies later found the vehicle near a store on Ky. 552 in Lily. McCormick, who was still in the vehicle, was taken into custody.

Deputies learned that McCormick had dropped Stehlin off at his mother’s home on Ky. 552. Upon searching the residence, deputies found Stehlin hiding under a bed and recovered all of the money.

McCormick showed deputies the location where Stehlin had thrown the gun out of the vehicle on Ky. 1189 near U.S. 25.

The duo is also facing robbery charges in Knox County for an armed robbery at the Tobbaco Hut in Barbourville on April 9.

According to Barbourville Police, the robber came up to the window of the store about 9:30 p.m. on foot. When the clerk opened the window, the robber pointed a gun in her face and demanded all of the money in the cash register.

The clerk complied and the robber fled the scene on foot.

At the time of their arrest, Barbourville Police took the opportunity to interview Stehlin concerning the robbery in Barbourville. During that interview, Stehlin reportedly confessed.

McCormick and Stehlin are next scheduled to appear in Knox Circuit Court for a pretrial hearing on Oct. 31. A jury trial is scheduled to begin on Nov. 7.