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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A man accused of a spree of armed robberies in the past week was sentenced Thursday on unrelated charges he received credit for a set of bed sheets he never paid for.</p><p>Joseph Lombardo, 39, was <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/506494/robber-strikes-unimart-in-hilldale" target="_blank">arrested on Tuesday</a> in connection to multiple robberies in the area, including a Uni-Mart in Plains Township and two businesses in Pittston. He was found Tuesday in a home on South Franklin Street in Wilkes-Barre after allegedly leading police on a high-speed pursuit through parts of West Pittston and Exeter the day before.</p><p>Lombardo, his head sunken into his chest as he awaited sentencing, received six to 18 months in county jail from Judge David W. Lupas on one misdemeanor theft charge.</p><p>Lombardo was reserved in his interaction with the judge, which came just days after a slew of rowdy outbursts in which he interrupted District Judge Alexandra Kokura Kravitz several times and declared he was &#8220;gonna run&#8221; no matter what bail she set for him.</p><p>&#8220;I apologize,&#8221; a soft-spoken Lombardo told Lupas when asked if he had anything to say.</p><p>According to an affidavit, Lombardo was caught on video exchanging goods at an area Walmart he didn&#8217;t purchase.</p><p>Lombardo entered the store in Wilkes-Barre Township on June 6 and tried to return two sets of bedding he had taken off the shelf moments earlier. He told employees that he didn&#8217;t have a receipt for the products and was provided a gift card for $137.</p><p>Police were able to link Lombardo to the theft by running his driver&#8217;s license number, which he provided to the store in the exchange, the affidavit says.</p><p>Prosecutors urged the judge to consider the charges pending against Lombardo as well as his lengthy criminal history in imposing his sentence.</p><p>Police said they suspected Lombardo in a robbery that occurred at Curry Donuts in Pittston on Saturday because he had a history of burglary and drug convictions. Lombardo allegedly fled from police who found him in possession of drugs and a knife in November, court records show.</p><p>Lombardo is currently facing charges of robbery, theft, illegal possession of a firearm, simple assault, reckless endangerment and making terroristic threats as well as other violations stemming from the pursuit.</p><p>Prior sentences had given Lombardo the chance to &#8220;correct his ways,&#8221; Lupas said. &#8220;Which obviously, he hasn&#8217;t done.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Lombardo </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_lombardo-2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Lombardo </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Joe Dolinsky</p><p>jdolinsky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Joe Dolinsky at 570-991-6110 or on Twitter @JoeDolinskyTL</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Accused serial robber Joseph Lombardo sentenced on Walmart theft