A $379 robbery nets 25 years

Carlston Donald will serve 25 years for a $379 robbery.

Donald, 48, of Cedar Rapids, was convicted of first-degree robbery by a jury in July, and was sentenced today in Linn County District Court to the mandatory prison time. He must serve 70 percent before being eligible for parole. He was also ordered to pay $379 in victim's restitution.

Donald robbed the Quality Inn, 4747 First Ave. SE, Dec. 23, 2008 while threatening the clerk with a steak knife.

Donald told the judge he wasn't guilty of this crime. He just “hung around with the wrong people. I'm not as violent as I use to be.”

Donald was convicted of a rape in 1995 when he used a handgun to force a woman to walk naked in the snow near Coralville Lake, and threatened to drown her. The Iowa Court of Appeals overturned the conviction in 2004, ruling Donald had received inadequate legal counsel. Donald later pleaded guilty to assault with the intent to commit serious injury and was given credit for time served.

In 2006, he was convicted of child endangerment and domestic abuse with intent causing injury.