A Beaver County man convicted of robbery, conspiracy, assault and reckless endangering charges stemming from a December 2000 robbery was sentenced to 12 to 30 months in prison Wednesday.

Larry Mitchell, 33, of 3503 Seventh Ave., Beaver Falls, was arrested Dec. 14, 2000, along with two other men in connection with an armed robbery that night.

According to reports, Elisha Harvey, of Masury, who was 20 at the time, was robbed by three men at gunpoint at Indiana Avenue and Roemer Boulevard in Farrell.

Ms. Harvey, of Masury, said she left her home at about 9 p.m. to head for the Beaver Falls home of a friend, Curt Carter. Carter said he would give her money to help pay her bills and buy Christmas gifts since she was unemployed, she testified at the preliminary hearing.

Ms. Harvey said she stayed at Carter's house for a few minutes, leaving her car running, to pick up the $2,000.

Ms. Harvey, who said she always goes home by driving through Farrell, her hometown, said she exited state Route 60, headed north to Longview Road and then picked up Roemer Boulevard on her way to Broadway.

A sport-utility vehicle stopped under the traffic light at Indiana Avenue, and Mitchell got out of the passenger side of the SUV, rushed to her car and held a handgun toward the windshield, she said.

He ran around to the driver door, opened it and pulled Ms. Harvey out by her coat, she said. He told her, "B

The money was later recovered.

"This sounds to me like you were sent out as muscle to get drug money back," Mercer County Common Pleas Judge Michael Wherry said during the sentencing hearing.

Mitchell admitted drugs were involved, but denied being "muscle."

"It was a bad decision," he said, adding he was "coerced by friends." He added he regretted his decision. Mitchell said he was not acquainted with Ms. Harvey.

"We can't have a drug war in our area," Wherry said before he sentenced Mitchell.