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LISBON -- Tyrez Boyd, convicted of aggravated robbery and three counts of abduction in connection with the armed robbery of a Calcutta pharmacy, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Thursday by Judge Scott Washam.
Boyd, 25, Indianapolis, Ind., still denies he was in Columbiana County on Sept. 27, 2017, the day when two men entered the Buckeye Pharmacy, held the three female employees at gun point, forced one of them to help get the store's supply of opioids out of the locked cabinets and then placed the women into a bathroom with their hands tied behind their backs.
Although none of the pharmacy employees identified him, a partial fingerprint identified as Boyd's was found on a large opioid pill bottle near the road by the Walmart. The bottle matched the type taken from the pharmacy.
The case was tried directly to Washam, who filed a ruling on Jan. 25 convicting Boyd of the four charges he was facing.
Chief Assistant County Prosecutor John Gamble said the pharmacist and two pharmacy techs were terrified following the robbery and still have concerns about the unknown co-defendants in the case. There was at least one woman who came in the store the day before, who may have been involved; a second man involved in the actually robbery of the store; and someone who served as the get away driver in the parking lot.
Gamble said Boyd has not shown any remorse for his actions and had declined what he considered a fair plea offer. He asked Washam to impose the maximum 20-year sentence.
"I don't disagree that his offer was a reasonable offer, if Mr. Boyd did this robbery," defense attorney James Wise said. "He maintains he was not present in Columbiana County."
When he was given a chance to make a statement before sentencing Boyd continued to maintain his innocence. He said although he was not responsible for this robbery, he was sorry the women had to go through being robbed.
After the hearing, Gamble praised the courage of the pharmacy employees for coming to testify, despite their fears. He also praised the quick thinking of Gary Felger of East Palestine, who was "remarkably observant" and recognized something was amiss in the parking lot. Felger then had the courage to follow the vehicle the men ran toward after the robbery, giving police information about the direction of travel, which linked the vehicle to near the area where the bottles were tossed.
Finally, Gamble praised the actions of the person who spotted pill bottles along the road near Walmart and recognized it looked suspicious calling St. Clair police department, possibly saving the evidence from being destroyed by rain that soon followed that day.
"Chief (Brian) McKenzie's department always does a really nice job," Gamble said. "But in this case the community helped solve case… When you act quickly you can make good things happen."
Gamble pointed out this is another case which proves if you see something amiss you should say something about it.
Boyd is already serving a 42-year sentence from a robbery in Clark County, which Gamble pointed out had the same MO (modus operandi), with the pharmacy employees robbed at gunpoint and tied with zipties. Gamble said he and investigators believe Boyd and others were involved in a ring to steal and sell opioids. There have been similar unsolved crimes throughout the area from northwest Pennsylvania down to southern Ohio.
The 20-year sentence levied by Washam is to be served consecutive with that Clark County sentence.