Lengthy sentences for 68-cent robbers

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CONVERSE, Texas, Jan. 15 (UPI) -- A pair of armed robbers in Texas who received just 68 cents from their three victims were sentenced to lengthy stays in prison.

State District Judge Raymond Angelini sentenced Ryan Huerta, 19, to 18 years in prison last week and Arnulfo Hernandez was sentenced to 20 years in prison Monday for their string of three incidents in Converse, the San Antonio Express-News reported Tuesday.

Hernandez had originally obtained a plea agreement calling for a maximum eight-year sentence, but the agreement was voided when he failed to show up for sentencing in September. He told the court he skipped the appearance because he was trying to support his pregnant girlfriend.

Police said the men were armed with a .22-caliber rifle when they robbed a Converse Walmart employee of his pocket change in January 2011 and attempted to rob a woman nearby, firing a round into her windshield before she drove off.

The third victim was able to disarm Huerta and the teens fled, but returned after circling the block and rammed the man's car.

Police said the shot fired into the woman's car did not penetrate the windshield.

"But for the grace of God and the small caliber of the weapon, we could have something else entirely," prosecutor Daryl Harris said.