One of four people connected to Clear Lake convenience store robbery pleads guilty

CLEAR LAKE — One of four people arrested in connection with the late January robbery of a Clear Lake convenience store has pleaded guilty.

Clear Lake police as part of their ongoing investigation into the robbery of the Casey’s General Store at 202 US Highway 18 East on January 23rd arrested 26-year-old William Rogers of Mason City and charged him with being an accessory after the fact. A criminal complaint says Rogers picked up the robbery suspect in his vehicle and fled the scene, driving him to an address in Mason City. Rogers was also charged with two possession of a controlled substance violations.

Rogers had pleaded not guilty to the charges and was scheduled to stand trial on August 2nd, but court records show a plea change hearing was recently set for August 9th in Cerro Gordo County District Court.

23-year-old Houston Conway of Britt pleaded guilty to four charges of second-degree robbery as he was connected to three other convenience store robberies in Mason City during the month of January. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

25-year-old Alexa Cockrel of Britt was originally charged with second-degree robbery in the Clear Lake robbery but pleaded guilty to a charge of accessory after the fact and was given a two-year suspended prison sentence and two years probation.

27-year-old Dustin Nesje of Mason City pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact and was sentenced to 30 days in jail.