AUGUSTA — A 19-year-old will spend an initial five years behind bars for robbing two city pharmacies a week apart last February.

Carmine Anthony Fazzi Jr., of Augusta, was sentenced Tuesday in Kennebec County Superior Court to eight years in prison, with all but five years suspended, and three years of probation.

Fazzi pleaded guilty on July 3 in the same courtroom to robbing the CVS pharmacy at 2 Stone St. on Feb. 13 and the Rite Aid pharmacy at 2007 North Belfast Ave. on Feb. 20.

Assistant District Attorney James Mitchell Jr. told the judge Tuesday that the sentence was being recommended both by the state and by Fazzi’s defense attorney, Francis Griffin Jr.

Griffin told the judge that Fazzi faces pharmacy robbery charges in New Hampshirel, but he wanted to accept responsibility for the Maine robberies and be sentenced.

The judge also ordered Fazzi to pay restitution of $5,500 and banned him from being at any Rite Aid or CVS stores.

Fazzi said little at the hearing, except to tell the judge he had previously worked at fast food restaurants when she asked about his ability to pay the restitution.

Attorneys told the judge that Fazzi likely will serve his sentence in Maine.

At the July hearing, Mitchell described the robberies, saying a young man, accompanied by another man, gave a note to the pharmacist, demanding oxycodone and saying he had a gun.

The note used in the Feb. 20 robbery said, “I HAVE A GUN AND WILL SHOOT U HAVE 30 SECONDS TO FILL THE WALMART BAG WITH OXYCODONE 30 MG AND 15 MG!!! DO NOT ACT SUSPICIOUS!!!” according to an affidavit by police Detective Jason Cote, which was filed in court.

Mitchell said an investigation by the Augusta Police Department led to Daniel Rines, who admitted giving a ride to Fazzi and another person and dropping them off near the Rite Aid store. Rines told police he thought they were going to buy marijuana nearby and was unaware of the robbery until they returned to Rines’ pickup truck.

Mitchell said Rines said he also heard Fazzi admit to the earlier CVS robbery, saying all he got there were “babies,” which is street lingo for 5-milligram oxycodone pills.

Fazzi was arrested in March in Greenburgh, N.Y., on an assault charge and returned to Maine to face the robbery charges.

Betty Adams — 621-5631

badams@centralmaine.com

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