Cedar Rapids man faces up to 20 years in three cases

CEDAR RAPIDS — A 25-year-old Cedar Rapids man, who pleaded Thursday to five charges, including a gun and burglary charges in three separate cases, faces up to 20 years in prison.

Robert Shawn Griffin pleaded to intimidation with a dangerous weapon second-degree burglary, third-degree burglary and eluding, all felonies, and first-degree harassment, an aggravated misdemeanor.

Sixth Judicial District Senior Judge Patrick Grady ran some of the sentences concurrently and some consecutively for a total of up to 20 years, in accordance with the plea agreement.

In the intimidation case, Griffin pointed a firearm from inside a van at Dennis Hurt, while at the Life Storage Facility, 2100 Edgewood Rd. SW, on March 18.

Hurt, according to criminal complaint, told police the suspect, later identified as Griffin, pulled the trigger and it clicked but didn’t fire. Griffin then told Hurt “he was lucky he didn’t kill” him.

Police used surveillance video to identify the van’s license plate, leading them to Griffin.

According to court documents, Griffin has had previous convictions for burglary, eluding and drugs and is prohibited from possessing firearms. He was on pretrial release in the gun-related case when he committed the other charges, according to court documents.

In the burglary case, Griffin entered a property and an unoccupied structure in Cedar Rapids on May 5.

Also on May 5, he eluded police when they tried to conduct a traffic stop at 14th Avenue and 42nd Street SE in Cedar Rapids, according to a criminal complaint. He drove through a construction zone during the police chase, causing damage to the vehicle he was driving, which didn’t belong to him.

Griffin also was indicted in June in U.S. District Court for being felon in possession of a firearm. No trial date has been set on that charge.

His sentencing also has not yet been set on the state charges.

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