Phillip Root
A man serving a prison sentence for five robberies on the Pennsylvania side of the Shenango Valley pleaded guilty Dec. 17 to two robberies in Masury in 2015.
Phillip J. Root, 41, was sentenced Feb. 8 to 16 to 21.5 years in prison, but the sentence will be served concurrently with his Pennsylvania sentence, meaning he will serve both at the same time. When he has finished his Pennsylvania sentence, he will be transferred to Ohio to serve whatever is left of his Ohio sentence.
Root had pleaded guilty Dec. 17 to two counts of aggravated robbery.
The first Masury robbery occurred Jan. 31, 2015, at Dollar General, 8229 Addison Road. Police gave this account:
Root entered the store, selected a bottle of dish soap and stood in line at the counter. After other customers had left the store, the clerk scanned the bottle and placed it in a bag. Root pulled a knife with a blade four to six inches long from his sleeve, walked around the counter and backed the clerk into a corner. Another employee approached and Root pointed the knife at her and told her to open the cash register. The store manager approached and Root pointed the knife at her. Root stole about $256 from the register and left the store.
Sharon police assisted and said they had suspected Root for a robbery earlier in the day at Walgreen’s.
The second Brookfield robbery occurred Feb. 3, 2015, at Mac’s Circle K, 902 S. Irvine Ave. Police said Root followed 
an employee who had been outside for a smoke break into the store, went around the counter, and pulled a kitchen knife out of his sleeve. Root demanded money and the employee opened the cash register. Root removed $72. Root told the clerk several times that he was sorry for robbing him, but he needed money.
Root was arrested in Sharon and admitted to all seven robberies, police said.
At his sentencing for the Pennsylvania robberies in December 2015, Root said the robberies were a result of his drug use, and that he had been taking Xanax. He was sentenced in Pennsylvania to 5 to 10 years in prison.
