Lang
12/10/20
Robbing a convenience store at knifepoint has led to the arrest of an Iowa City man.
Iowa City Police say 23-year-old Jonathan St. John of Juniper Drive was standing outside the front door of Delimart on Highway 1 West just after 10pm Wednesday. The clerk came outside to tell St. John the store was closed. That’s when St. John displayed a knife, pointed it at the clerk and demanded money from the cash registers. The clerk later told investigators that St. John gestured with the knife as if he were going to stab him, so the clerk fled the scene and called 9-1-1.
Arriving officers found St. John still holding the knife inside Delimart. Police say he apologized for threatening the clerk and robbing the store. St. John went on to say someone inside his head told him to do those things, and that he got off a bus and headed for Delimart with the sole intention of robbing the store and getting cash from the registers.
St. John is charged with 1st Degree Robbery, Going Armed With Intent, and Assault While Displaying a Dangerous Weapon. If convicted on all charges, he faces a maximum of 32 years in prison.
St. John, who is originally from Alameda, California, has a lengthy criminal history. In December of 2019 he was arrested after a physical altercation with a clerk at the East Burlington Street Kum & Go which ended with him stealing cigarettes and a lighter. He also has several incidents involving Public Intoxication and fighting with police officers.