Gas Station Assault, Robbery Leads To Long Prison Sentence: Nassau DA

MINEOLA, NY — A Roosevelt man was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for robbing and assaulting a gas station attendant in 2018, Nassau District Attorney Anne Donnelly announced.

Vernon Lowe, 56, was convicted in September. As a mandatory persistent violent felony offender, Lowe was given the 25 to life sentence on Monday. He previously was convicted of second-degree murder in 1994.

"A hardworking immigrant employed at a gas station was repeatedly harassed by defendant Vernon Lowe while trying to help customers," Donnelly said. "In order to diffuse the situation, the victim gave the defendant $10 to leave the business, but was later brutally beaten by Lowe with a metal tool in the face. I thank the police department and our prosecutors for bringing this repeat violent felony offender to justice."

On the night of Nov. 29, 2018, Lowe arrived at a Sunoco gas station on Nassau Road in Roosevelt.

As the gas station attendant was making change for a customer, Lowe struck the attendant in the face with a pair of metal vice grips, which caused the man to fall down and strike the back of his head on the pavement. Lowe stole money from the victim, who suffered a broken nose, several broken teeth, and lacerations to the face, the D.A.'s office said.