A Sacramento man charged with robbing and assaulting two teenagers at knifepoint has entered a plea deal with Yolo County prosecutors, agreeing to serve a prison sentence of more than 28 years.
The agreement with Robert Christopher Shepler, 40, was reached Wednesday, during the second day of jury selection after the start of the trial, according to a Yolo County District Attorney's Office news release.
Officials said Shepler, on June 9, 2010, intervened in an argument among three juveniles. Two brothers, ages 15 and 16, were arguing with another juvenile over an iPod. Shepler pulled a knife on the brothers and told them to empty their pockets. He shoved the younger brother against and wall and searched his pockets, then turned to the 16-year-old, who was wearing a gold necklace. Shepler tried to rip the necklace from the boy's neck. When it didn't come off, he pressed the knife against the boy's neck and demanded the necklace, according to the news release. The boy complied.
Officials said that Shepler's criminal record spans most of his adult life, and includes three prior strikes under California's "Three Strikes" law. Included are two robbery convictions in 1998, stemming from a similar incident in which he took a necklace from a man at knifepoint.
Shepler has served three prison sentences and has numerous parole violations since 1994. He had been out of custody for less than four months at the time of the 2010 robbery, according to the news release.
Yolo county officials said Shepler faced charges and allegations of robbery, attempted robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and personal use of a deadly weapon, as well as various allegations regarding his criminal history. Those charges and allegations carried a maximum sentence of 40 years to life in prison.
"The defendant has a long history of dangerous criminal activity against innocent and sometimes particularly vulnerable victims," Deputy District Attorney Robert Trudgen said in a written statement. "His incarceration will protect others in the community for a very long rime."
Shepler is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 9 in Yolo County Superior Court by Judge David W. Reed.
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