Man who pepper-sprayed Sears security guard sentenced to 2 years

BANGOR, Maine — The Holden man who in November pepper-sprayed a Sears security guard following a shoplifting spree was sentenced Thursday at the Penobscot Judicial Center to two years in prison.

Joseph Demmons, 27, pleaded guilty to Class A robbery and Class C theft by unauthorized taking, according to Michael Roberts, deputy district attorney for Penobscot County.

The prosecutor said Friday that a misdemeanor drug charge was dismissed.

Demmons has been held at the Penobscot County Jail since his arrest, unable to make bail. That time will be applied to his sentence.

Roberts also said the theft charge was unrelated to the robbery. By pleading guilty to the theft charge, Demmons admitted shoplifting from Kohl’s Department Store on Nov. 11, eight days before the robbery at Sears.

Demmons’ accomplice in the Sears robbery was Brittany Holland, 20, of Hampden, according to previously published reports. She pleaded guilty to the robbery last month, Roberts said. Her sentencing was deferred until August while she undergoes treatment for substance abuse, the prosecutor said Friday.

Sears employees called police on Nov. 19 after noticing Demmons and Holland concealing items, and Bangor police officers were dispatched to the store, according to a previously published report. Before they arrived, one store employee was assaulted and Demmons sprayed Mace at the store’s security officer. The couple left the store and ran toward Interstate 95 and Staples, police said.

Demmons and Holland jumped a fence — dropping stolen items as they went — and then unsuccessfully attempted to hide in the high grass. They were quickly located by Bangor police.

Nearly $1,000 in stolen merchandise, mostly jewelry, was found on the shoplifters or on the ground between Sears and where they were located, police said in November. Officers recovered about $913 worth of stolen items, which were returned to the store.

The duo faced up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000 on the robbery charge. In addition, Demmons faced up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 on theft charge.