Hunter
08/25/22
Police say a report of an armed robbery at an Iowa City convenience store turned out to be a scheme cooked up between the would-be thief and the store clerk.
According to the arrest reports, 29-year-old Michael Preslicka of the Town and Campus Apartments on Arthur Street was working at the Mormon Trek Boulevard Kum & Go and reported an armed robbery around 1:15 am Tuesday. The alleged robber, identified as 28-year-old Clarence Jackson of Holiday Lodge Road in North Liberty, made off with $235 in cash.
It was later determined that a robbery did not occur, and Preslicka was involved in a scheme with Jackson to steal from the store. In addition, Preslicka was allegedly found in the company of Jackson the day after the incident when police conducted a traffic stop in Iowa City around 12:35 pm.
Both Preslicka and Jackson were charged with Fifth Degree Theft and False Report of an Indictable Offense to a Public Entity. The two charges combined carry a maximum jail sentence of 13 months.
Jackson also was wanted on a marijuana possession charge from March 19th of this year. Authorities seized 4.7 grams of raw marijuana from him when he was a passenger involved in a traffic stop. Just the day before, Jackson was charged with OWI second offense and marijuana possession. He had a warrant after failing to appear at his July case management conference.
If convicted on all charges against him, Jackson could be sentenced to up to over five years in prison.