Candy nabber pleads to robbery

PALMER — Amber Martin, one of two Halloween bandits to rob a group of young trick-or-treaters of the candy at gunpoint this past Oct. 31, has pleaded guilty to first-degree armed robbery.

Martin, 21, entered the plea Thursday at Palmer Court and faces a presumptive sentence of between seven and 11 years in prison.

Martin was arrested along with Palmer resident Kendra Butts, 19, in connection with the Talkeetna robbery, where the pair fired a handgun in the air while stealing candy and an iPod from a group of eight children.

Through tears Thursday, Martin confirmed to Superior Court Judge Beverly Cutler she knew what she was doing in admitting to the Class A felony.

Also as part of her plea, other charges against Martin were dropped. Martin will be sentenced at 2:15 p.m. Aug. 26.

Butts pleaded guilty to robbery on May 7, with the same sentencing parameters as Martin. Butts is due to be sentenced Aug. 26 in Palmer.

The women’s boyfriends, Michael Scott Wilson and Aaron Tolen, both 25, are next due in court June 10 to face charges of hindering prosecution of the Halloween caper and possession of weapons in violation of their parole, as well as charges related to a cache of stolen goods, including ATVs and tools.