SALEM – A man who admitted to being the driver in the holdup of a Route 1 gas station in Saugus last year to support his drug addiction received one to two years in state prison.Ari Jenkins, 30, last known address of 49 Deering St., Reading, changed his plea to guilty Monday afternoon in Salem Superior Court to a charge of unarmed robbery before Judge Timothy Q. Feeley.The judge adopted the agreed sentence proposed by Assistant District Attorney Kristen R. Buxton and defense lawyer Mark Schmidt.On April 7, 2009 at about 6:30 p.m., a man, later identified as Andrew T. Belliveau, 29, of Revere, walked into the Hess Gas station, located at 240 Broadway (Route 1 northbound) in Saugus, demanding money while indicating he had a gun tucked in his waistband.He stole $188 and fled from the station to a vehicle waiting outside.The car jetted away up Route 1, but not before a concerned citizen was able to jot down the license plate.The car was registered to Belliveau’s girlfriend, who told police that he had borrowed it.After police arrested Belliveau later in Revere, he told them that he and the driver, Ari Jenkins, had planned the robbery earlier in the day to get money to buy drugs. After the robbery, they spent all the cash on drugs.Jenkins apologized to the court for his actions and told Feeley he has been struggling to cure his addiction.While on release pending trial, Jenkins completed an inpatient drug treatment program at Spectrum House.Belliveau pleaded earlier to his part and is currently serving 18 months to five years in state prison.A second charge of armed robbery while masked against Jenkins was dropped as part of the plea concession.
