Accused Palm Desert, Valley Serial Robber Pleads Guilty, Expected to Serve 69 Years in Prison

An Indio man charged in a spate of robberies and burglaries across the Coachella Valley pleaded guilty Monday to several charges.

Samuel David Lawson Jr., 41, was charged with 51 felony counts -- mostly robbery and burglary --- and one misdemeanor battery count for crimes from August 2011 to December 2012.

Lawson pleaded guilty to four robberies and seven burglaries at a hearing Monday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio and will be sentenced to 69 years in prison on Oct. 25, his attorney Mickie Reed said. The remaining charges likely will be dismissed at sentencing, she said.

Lawson was arrested in Palm Desert on Dec. 27 on suspicion of burglary in the 74000 block of Country Club Drive.

Lawson had "key pieces of evidence" that tied him to armed robberies and commercial burglaries, Riverside County sheriff's Sgt. Tom Brewster said.

Evidence found in Lawson's vehicles and home implicated him in armed robberies at fast food restaurants and convenience stores and burglaries at businesses, Brewster said.

Lawson burglarized several Coachella Valley businesses, including Palm Desert Cyclery, LensCrafters and Gucci in Palm Desert and optometry offices. He committed robberies at a USA Gas station, a Palm Springs International Airport kiosk and Perez Images in Cathedral City, according to the criminal complaint.

Lawson was being held in lieu of $11 million bail at the county jail in Indio.

--City News Service.