A Jefferson City man pleaded guilty to amended charges in connection an attempted robbery that occurred in April 2018.
Prosecutors had charged Di-Brell Smith, 28, with second-degree attempted robbery, but amended that to misdemeanor stealing. He also pleaded guilty to misdemeanor resisting a lawful stop and misdemeanor assault.
Cole County Associate Circuit Judge Cotton Walker sentenced Smith to 270 days in jail, but gave him credit for time served.
Court records show Smith was on parole for robbery when he was arrested, and he has two prior convictions for robbery. Walker ordered Smith to finish his parole, which includes successfully completing a treatment program. If Smith fails to do so, Walker said Smith will go back to jail.
Last April, officers were called to a business in the 700 block of West Stadium Boulevard after Smith was seen stealing clothing, according to a Jefferson City Police Department probable cause statement. When confronted, Smith struck a person and fled the scene.
The victim described the vehicle Smith had left in, and officers spotted it a short time later. When officers stopped the vehicle, Smith fled. As he was running away, he damaged a backyard fence of a residence, but he was eventually caught.
Smith told officers he didn’t steal anything and struck the victim in self-defense.