Man Sentenced for St. Cloud Carjackings

ST. CLOUD -- A man formerly of California has been sentenced on aggravated robbery and felony terroristic threats charges after two St. Cloud carjacking incidents last November. A Stearns County judge has sentenced 20-year-old Just Lopez to three years and four months in prison. He gets credit for serving 178 days in the county jail.

Police were called to the 800 block of McKinley Place in November when a man called to say someone had threatened to stab him if he didn't give up his car. Court records show when the car owner got out, the suspect ran off after realizing the victim was bigger than he was.

Two days later, a man called 911 to report a young man matching Lopez' description had approached his car in an alley, pointed a gun at him and said he was taking the car. The victim gave up the car and the suspect drove away.

The next day, a woman called police to report a man had approached her in a vehicle and asked for her phone and if she wanted to get into his vehicle. Officers found Lopez in a parking lot in the 1100 block of 7th Avenue South.

Investigators say Lopez admitted another man gave him a fake gun to use to get a car to sleep in. A black BB gun pistol was found inside the car.