‘Scream’ mask robber gets 20 years in prison as part of plea deal

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NAPLES, Fla.- A 27-year-old man was sentenced to 20 years in prison Friday for a string of robberies in Collier County.

Jonathan Wessel pleaded no contest to charges including attempted robbery with a weapon, robbery with a weapon, and kidnapping.

Wessel was arrested in Nov. 2014 in connection to robberies at a GameStop store and Circle K in East Naples.

During the Circle K robbery, detectives say Wessel entered the convenience store wearing a mask made popular by the Halloween movie “Scream,” while threatening the clerk with a gun and demanding cash.

Authorities identified Wessel as a suspect in a total of nine restaurant and convenience store robberies.

In court Friday, authorities said Wessel has history of mental illness and is currently taking medication.

“I would really like to apologize to the victims, all the people that Jonathan scared,” said Jonathan Wessel’s father, Hank Wessel, after his son’s sentencing. “I hope that someday they could maybe forgive him or at least understand mental illness that he was going through.”

Wessel has facing a maximum sentence of life in prison, in relation to the kidnapping charges, however authorities say after his arrest, Wessel cooperated with law enforcement and admitted to the crimes.

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