Dothan teen apologizes for armed robberies

A Dothan teenager apologized for his involvement in two Dothan armed robberies just before he pleaded guilty on Monday and was sentenced to prison.

Karey Godwin was one of two men sentenced to prison Monday for unrelated armed robbery crimes in Dothan.

Circuit Court Judge Brad Mendheim sentenced Godwin, 18, of Fairlane Drive, to serve 20 years in prison for each of the armed robberies. But Mendheim suspended that sentence and ordered Godwin to serve five years in prison for the charges.

“Once you’re released you’ll serve five years on supervised probation,” Mendheim said. “If you violate you’ll serve the remainder of the (40 year) sentence.”

Mendheim sentenced Godwin according to a plea agreement between the Houston County District Attorney’s Office and Godwin’s attorney, Ben Freeman.

“I made the wrong choice,” Godwin said. “I know what I did was wrong.”

Dothan police arrested Godwin on Oct. 13, 2009, on the same day as both armed robberies. District Attorney Doug Valeska said Godwin pleaded guilty to the robbery of a woman on East Adams Street around 11 p.m. during which a cell phone was taken. Valeska said Godwin also pleaded guilty to the robbery of a man on Webb Road.

Valeska said Godwin did not have the weapon allegedly used in the robbery.

Tevin Damario Williams and a 15-year-old boy were also charged in the armed robberies.

In an unrelated court hearing, Perry Dale Collins, 24, of Scotsdale Court, Kinsey, received a 25-year prison sentence from Circuit Court Judge Larry Anderson on Monday as part of a first-degree robbery guilty plea.

Attorney John Steensland III said his client pleaded guilty to his involvement in the armed robbery of a Subway restaurant on Honeysuckle Road in February 2009.

Two other men, Christopher Smith, 26, and Kenneth McGlon, 21, of Kinsey, both already pleaded guilty to their involvement in the robbery. Smith received a 40-year prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to 10 armed robbery crimes in Dothan. Court records show McGlon pleaded guilty to third-degree robbery and received a 10-year prison sentence.