DULUTH — A man with an extensive history of burglary allegedly admitted to robbing a Morgan Park gas station while armed with a weapon resembling a pistol.
Sean Lakota Perrin, 30, also remains the "prime suspect" in two other convenience store holdups, including another at the same business just over a month prior, a prosecutor said.
Perrin was arraigned Tuesday in State District Court for the aggravated first-degree robbery of Speedway, 1002 88th Ave. W., on May 4.
A complaint states that Perrin brandished a crossbow handle that had been modified to look like a handgun, telling the clerk, "You have 10 seconds to give me everything in the registers." The employee turned over an estimated $160 in cash to the suspect, who wore a hooded sweatshirt but did not disguise his face.
Police were unable to locate the suspect nearby, but officers reviewed surveillance footage and believed Perrin to be the perpetrator. The complaint states that he was placed in a photo lineup and shown to the victim, who initially identified Perrin before he began to express some uncertainty.
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The Duluth Police Department later publicized a still image from the robbery and received multiple tips identifying Perrin, according to the complaint. A family member reportedly confirmed Perrin had admitted that he "did something stupid" and went on to confess that he robbed the gas station with a gun.
Perrin was located Friday, with the police department deploying its tactical response and crisis negotiation teams after he reportedly refused to leave an unspecified residence.
"At times he would hang out of the window while drinking a beer and rile up a large crowd of residents as law enforcement attempted to arrest him," St. Louis County prosecutor Jon Holets noted.
The complaint states that Perrin acknowledged to investigators: "Yes, that was me in that robbery." He reportedly apologized and admitted using the crossbow handle.
A check of court records indicates Perrin has at least 10 felony convictions in Minnesota and Wisconsin, including six cases of burglary, along with receiving stolen property, domestic assault, battery by prisoners and terroristic threats. He has numerous lower-level convictions, including multiple cases of theft, and has pending felony cases alleging domestic assault and burglary of a financial planning office in downtown Duluth.
Holets disclosed that Perrin may yet face charges in two other, similar convenience store robberies, but told the court Tuesday: "Investigation is ongoing and the extensive video review has hampered the state's ability to have charging ready today."
Records indicate Perrin previously served 18- and 26-month prison sentences in Minnesota, the most recent of which was handed down in December 2021. He remains on supervised release in Wisconsin until Aug. 24 after serving a separate 18-month term for burglary.
Judge David Johnson set bail at $100,000 for the robbery, though he currently remains subject to a hold without bail. Perrin's next court appearance was scheduled for June 20.
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