Rockmart man sentenced in latest conviction from rash of armed robberies
A Rockmart man was sentenced to 35 years in prison with 20 to serve this week after being found guilty in connection with an armed robbery in October 2019.
Lacorrin Lavail Middlebrooks, 41, was found guilty of felony counts of armed robbery, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony on Tuesday, April 19, in Polk County Superior Court. According to police, Middlebrooks entered the JB Food Mart on Cedartown Highway in Rockmart on Oct. 12, 2019, wearing a bandana across his face, pointed a handgun at the owner and demanded money.
The store’s security cameras filmed the entire robbery.
An anonymous tip led Polk County Investigator Caleb Bowman to Middlebrooks. Though the firearm used in the robbery was not recovered, Bowman was able to obtain a confession by Middlebrooks during an interview.
Polk County Assistant District Attorney Lisa Mason prosecuted the case for the state.
“We are extremely proud of the job Ms. Mason did trying the case and delivering justice to the victim and Polk County. She is the judicial circuit’s most senior ADA and a very experienced trial attorney,” stated Chief Assistant District Attorney Jaeson Smith.
This is the third convenient store armed robbery conviction the Polk County District Attorney’s Office has secured in less than 10 months. In September, Brandon Preston pled guilty to armed robbery and sexual assault involving the Cowboys Store on Highway 278. Preston was sentenced to 40 years and must serve 20 in prison.
Last June, a Polk county jury found Aaron Arrington guilty of armed robbery involving the Gulf Station on South Main Street in Cedartown. Arrington was sentenced to life in prison. All three of these armed robberies took place within a 90 day period between October 2019 and January 2020.
“Local businesses are the thread which keeps our communities together. They employ our citizens. They sponsor our ball teams. And they provide goods and services where we need them, here locally,” Smith added. “When someone goes into a local business with a gun, demanding hard earned money, we send them to prison for a long time — period.”