ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – An Abilene man accused of organizing an armed robbery of four victims has been sentenced to prison.

Manuel Lopez received a 5 year prison sentence Friday after pleading guilty to four counts of Aggravated Robbery. All charges are connected to a robbery in the parking lot of an Abilene apartment complex in September 2022.

Court documents state a victim reported Lopez gave her and three friends a ride to an apartment and while they were there, he was texting a suspect who was known for robbing people.

Lopez then, according to the documents, told the victims their ride home had arrived, and when they went to the parking lot, the suspect pointed a gun at them and took property, including Lopez’s wallet.

One of the victims hid at the scene following the robbery and was able to identify the suspect to police.

This suspect was then arrested after a standoff in an apartment, which Lopez was also inside. He was arrested on drug charges and brought in for questioning.

When asked about the robbery, the documents state Lopez admitted that at the suspect’s request, he placed a gun near a dumpster at the complex, and after the robbery, the suspect gave Lopez $250.

No further information has been released.