Father And Daughter Sentenced For Fake Robbery
By: Garret Krier
Updated: April 12, 2012
2 people are paying the price for a convenience store heist, that police say, turned out to be a staged robbery. Investigators unraveled this puzzle with a little help from an off duty Rogers police officer.
"This was the first case I have had like this," said Benton County Deputy Prosecutor Stephanie McLemore.
November 2nd, 2010 started off like any other day at the Fast Trip in Bentonville.
Surveillance video shows Store Manager James Dorsett getting a text. Then Dorsett has a quick word with the clerk before heading out with a bag of money.
"He as the store manager would make a bank drop," said McLemore. Dorsett walks outside, just to the right off camera, then you see a white car come into frame.
30-seconds later, Dorsett storms back in and points outside and he tells the clerk he's been held up at gunpoint and that his money bag with 3,000 dollars in it was stolen.
Dorsett gives a vehicle description to the attendant. "It was a Monte Carlo just drove away," you can hear Dorsett say on the video. Then the clerk runs outside to get a better look. Next, Dorsett calls the the non emergency number to the Bentonville Police Department.
"The Bentonville Police Department responds in full force, believing they have an armed robbery," said McLemore. Officers arrive and begin investigating, and this is where the case begins to turn.
"Things just didn't sit quite right," said McLemore. In the surveillance video James Dorsett describes the getaway car as a Monte Carlo.
But Mclemore says that is not what he told officers. "The description Mr. Dorsett gave when police interviewed him at the scene was of a Ford Taurus," said McLemore.
Later that day an off duty Rogers police officer makes an observation that would later break the case. "He saw a vehicle similar to the description given, took note and actually saw a female driver and male in the passenger seat counting money," said McLemore.
Police traced the license back to Alycha Dorsett who is James Dorsett's daughter. Investigators then got a search warrant for Alycha Dorsett's phone records.
Police tracked Dorsetts her cell phone G.P.S. to a cell tower next to the Fast Trip at roughly the same time James Dorsett claimed to be robbed. "That is an impressive piece of evidence because the cell phone towers are a neutral witness," said McLemore.
Before the end of November 2010, both James Dorsett and Alycha Dorsett wound up in jail. And police are glad to have solved the case of the heist that wasn't.
"When you misdirect the resources of the police department. There are crimes and victims not being tended to as they should be," said McLemore.
Police say they are still looking for the man who was in the car with Aylcha Dorsett counting money. They are working on some leads and hope to find that person soon. Both James and Alycha Dorsett pleaded guilty.
A judge sentenced James to 5-years probation and 10-months in the Benton County Jail. Alycha will have to serve 3-years probation and 45-days in The Benton County Jail.
"This was the first case I have had like this," said Benton County Deputy Prosecutor Stephanie McLemore.
November 2nd, 2010 started off like any other day at the Fast Trip in Bentonville.
Surveillance video shows Store Manager James Dorsett getting a text. Then Dorsett has a quick word with the clerk before heading out with a bag of money.
"He as the store manager would make a bank drop," said McLemore. Dorsett walks outside, just to the right off camera, then you see a white car come into frame.
30-seconds later, Dorsett storms back in and points outside and he tells the clerk he's been held up at gunpoint and that his money bag with 3,000 dollars in it was stolen.
Dorsett gives a vehicle description to the attendant. "It was a Monte Carlo just drove away," you can hear Dorsett say on the video. Then the clerk runs outside to get a better look. Next, Dorsett calls the the non emergency number to the Bentonville Police Department.
"The Bentonville Police Department responds in full force, believing they have an armed robbery," said McLemore. Officers arrive and begin investigating, and this is where the case begins to turn.
"Things just didn't sit quite right," said McLemore. In the surveillance video James Dorsett describes the getaway car as a Monte Carlo.
But Mclemore says that is not what he told officers. "The description Mr. Dorsett gave when police interviewed him at the scene was of a Ford Taurus," said McLemore.
Later that day an off duty Rogers police officer makes an observation that would later break the case. "He saw a vehicle similar to the description given, took note and actually saw a female driver and male in the passenger seat counting money," said McLemore.
Police traced the license back to Alycha Dorsett who is James Dorsett's daughter. Investigators then got a search warrant for Alycha Dorsett's phone records.
Police tracked Dorsetts her cell phone G.P.S. to a cell tower next to the Fast Trip at roughly the same time James Dorsett claimed to be robbed. "That is an impressive piece of evidence because the cell phone towers are a neutral witness," said McLemore.
Before the end of November 2010, both James Dorsett and Alycha Dorsett wound up in jail. And police are glad to have solved the case of the heist that wasn't.
"When you misdirect the resources of the police department. There are crimes and victims not being tended to as they should be," said McLemore.
Police say they are still looking for the man who was in the car with Aylcha Dorsett counting money. They are working on some leads and hope to find that person soon. Both James and Alycha Dorsett pleaded guilty.
A judge sentenced James to 5-years probation and 10-months in the Benton County Jail. Alycha will have to serve 3-years probation and 45-days in The Benton County Jail.
