Nov 14, 2017 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – A man who robbed Gabler’s Drug store in Carmichaels and then returned nine days later to try to rob it again will face up to eight years in prison for his Greene County crimes after a two-week pharmacy robbery spree in two states early last year.

Joshua Cain Abel, 30, of Everson, pleaded guilty to felony charges of robbery, criminal attempt, misdemeanor theft by unlawful taking and three misdemeanor counts each of terroristic threats and simple assault in August.

Despite the defense’s request for a sentence in line with the 2 to 4 years he received in both Westmoreland and Fayette counties for similar crimes, Greene county Judge Louis Dayich Monday sentenced Abel to 4 to 8 years, concurrent with his other sentences. He was also given a $200 fine and ordered to pay $52 in restitution to the pharmacy.

Abel was arrested in West Virginia in February 2016 after several pharmacy robberies in two states the previous month.

Abel, wearing a large flannel jacket with the hood wrapped around his face, walked into the drugstore at 106 S. Market St. Jan. 16, 2016 and passed a note to the pharmacist claiming he had a gun. He left with three pill bottles filled with Oxycodone, state police said. Abel returned Jan. 25 and started to pull out a note when the pharmacist pushed an alarm, scaring him away.

Abel admitted to at least seven pharmacy robberies in two states and told police he used all of the drugs stolen. He had no criminal record prior to the robberies.

“You can see how these issues of addiction affect your family,” Dayich told Abel after issuing the order.

It speaks volumes that so many friends and family, just over a dozen, were in attendance, despite knowing what occurred, Dayich added.

“I commend his friends and family for loving and supporting him through this, but these are two serious offenses,” Greene County District Attorney Marjorie Fox said.

Though addiction may have fueled the crimes and Dayich acknowledged crimes from addiction are frequent in his courtroom, robberies are not common crimes, the judge said.

“You are a threat to the public and you were a threat to the public,” Dayich said.

Abel testified on his own behalf at sentencing to speak to his issues with drug addiction.

“I made a terrible mistake and I’m trying to make amends,” he said, adding that he had written a letter of apology to the store and its employees.

“At the time of the offense, I was a slave to a horrible drug addiction that had already taken everything from me,” Abel said.

He and his defense attorney, Komron Jon Maknoon, outlined the events leading to his drug abuse, most notably when he was prescribed narcotics after being the victim of a drive-by shooting.

His mother, Laura Abel, also testified on his behalf, telling the judge about her son surviving an overdose and later being treated at Greenbriar.

Despite all of the friends and family supporting him, Fox reminded the defendant his sobriety after his release would be up to him. As sheriff’s deputies escorted him out of the courtroom and a brief hug from his grandmother, Abel thanked everyone in attendance.