Lynn man pleads guilty to double-dip robbery

SALEM – A Lynn felon who admitted that he attempted to rob the same bakery he robbed in 2008 was sentenced to serve up to six years in state prison.Joseph James, 25, of 39 Rockaway St., #2, made his plea Thursday afternoon, pleading guilty to armed assault with intent to rob and assault with a dangerous weapon before Judge Timothy Q. Feeley.James was sentenced to serve not less than four years and not more that six years in state prison to be followed by two years of probation at which time he will be evaluated for mental health counseling and treatment as needed, substance abuse counseling and treatment as needed. He must also remain drug-free, take only prescribed medications, submit to random screenings and stay away from the victim and the establishment.Assistant District Attorney Kristen R. Buxton said the charges arise out of an incident on Feb. 28.It was shortly after 2 p.m., when James, wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt and fingerless gloves walked into Arnold?s Bakery, located at 76 Lewis St., wielding a knife and demanding cash from the store owner.But the 37-year-old female owner was not going to let him rob her again and fought back, grabbing a 4-foot metal rod and striking him on his right arm, causing James to drop the knife.In the meantime, a customer entered the store just as James picked up the knife and was hit on the arm as James fled empty-handed from the store towards Phillips Avenue.Police received a tip implicating James as the perpetrator.At first, James denied robbing the store when police questioned him and said the bruise on his arm happened during a fight with another man.The punishment imposed was less than the seven- to 10-year prison term requested by Buxton.Defense lawyer Thomas Pierce argued for a three- to five-year punishment.The judge credited James with the 306 days he spent in jail in lieu of bail awaiting trial on the case.At the time of the robbery, James was on probation for robbing the same bakery and the same owner on Feb. 4, 2008.He pleaded guilty in October 2008 on the case and was sentenced to two to three years in state prison with five years probation.Feeley also found James in violation on the 2008 case and sentenced him to 2-1/2 years in jail, but that punishment will run together to the four- to six-year prison term imposed Thursday afternoon.