Man sentenced to 10 years for string of Spokane gas station robberies

A man who robbed multiple Spokane gas stations back-to-back last year will spend up to 10 years in prison.

Police said Cecil Booker, 33, pointed a handgun at employees at five gas stations and demanded they empty their cash register.

The robberies began on May 29 and spanned to June 19. On June 12, Booker robbed two gas stations in the same day – one in north Spokane and one in Spokane Valley. Each time a man wearing a mask entered the store and told the employee, “Open the till or I’ll shoot you,” court documents said.

Police were able to identify and arrest Booker from matching surveillance video at each robbery and corroborating witness statements, court documents said.

During his Thursday sentencing, Booker’s attorney said he had previously been involved in three car accidents that have affected his decision -making and was also diagnosed and takes medicine for a severe mental illness.

Booker declined to speak during sentencing.