Dayton man pleads guilty to armed robberies at area convenience stores

Kavonte Khirese Knolton

Credit: Shelby County Jail

Credit: Shelby County Jail

Kavonte Khirese Knolton

A 21-year-old Dayton man faces a minimum of seven years in prison after pleading guilty to charges connected to multiple armed robberies at convenience stores in Kettering and Dayton earlier this year.

Kavonte Knolton could be sentenced to seven years to life in prison for brandishing a firearm during a violent crime and up to 20 years for robbery, according to U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Any sentence for brandishing a firearm has to be served consecutive to other sentences.

He is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 14.

Knolton admitted to working with 19-year-old Jamaal Murphy rob the Circle K in Kettering in February and the Wyoming Mini-Mart in Dayton in March, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He also reportedly admitted to helping rob the UDF in Dayton on Valentine’s Day.

Knolton and Murphy were arrested in June by Dayton police and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

In June they were indicted on one count of conspiracy, five counts of using, carrying or brandishing a firearm during a violent crime and five counts of violating the Hobbs Act, a federal law protecting businesses involved in interstate commerce, according to previous reports.

The case against Murphy is pending.

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