Omak man sentenced in robbery

OKANOGAN – An Omak man who fired one round, nearly hitting a convenience store clerk during a robbery two years ago, was sentenced to 14 years and three months in prison Thursday.

David B. Gray, 21, pleaded guilty in Okanogan County Superior Court to first-degree assault, first-degree robbery and tampering with physical evidence.

The assault charge was reduced from second-degree attempted murder. Judge Chris Culp handed down the highest sentence within the recommended sentencing range of 129 to 171 months.

Police said Gray and an accomplice walked into Omak’s Jackpot Food Mart wearing hooded sweatshirts and bandannas over the lower part of their faces. Gray then pulled out a .41-caliber revolver, pointed it at the clerk and told him to give them the money.

The police report said the clerk became nervous when he couldn’t open the cash register, so he reached across the counter and grabbed the barrel of the revolver, pointing it away from him. The gun went off and the two teens fled the store with no goods or cash, according to the police report.