Sentenced: Man charged in robbery, standoff at New Berlin Pharmacy is headed to prison

WAUKESHA COUNTY (WITI) -- A 44-year-old man, charged in connection with a robbery and standoff that occurred at the New Berlin Pharmacy on W. Greenfield Avenue last July has been sentenced in the case against him.

Scott Wimer

Wimer entered an Alford guilty plea to a felony charge of armed robbery. A charge of felon in possession of a firearm was dismissed.

An Alford plea is a guilty plea in criminal court, whereby a defendant in a criminal case does not admit the criminal act and asserts innocence. In entering an Alford plea, the defendant admits that the evidence the prosecution has would be likely to persuade a judge or jury to find the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The court found Wimer guilty.

On Thursday, March 12th, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison and six years of extended supervision. He has been ordered to pay more than $1,500 in restitution to the New Berlin Pharmacy.

On July 9th, New Berlin police were dispatched to the New Berlin Pharmacy on W. Greenfield Avenue in New Berlin -- to investigate a report of a man with a shotgun inside the pharmacy.

Citizen witnesses who exited the pharmacy called 911 to report the incident.

The criminal complaint filed against Wimer says police spoke with a pharmacy employee outside of the pharmacy. That employee said Wimer was inside the pharmacy when she showed up for work around 4:00 p.m. Wimer had placed his driver's license, along with a prescription on the counter.

The pharmacy employee told police the pharmacist, Robert Steib, refused to fill the prescription -- saying it wasn't legitimate. After he was told several times that the prescription wouldn't be filled, Wimer left the pharmacy -- returning a short time later with a shotgun, police say.

Law enforcement officials surrounded the pharmacy. They were made aware that Wimer was inside the pharmacy with the pharmacist, Robert Steib.

Wimer eventually surrendered.

The complaint says officers detected a strong odor of intoxicants coming from Wimer, and also noticed he appeared to be under the influence of drugs. Wimer told police he had consumed 21 oxycodone pills while he was inside the pharmacy -- saying he took the pills "in an attempt to kill himself -- because he knew police had surrounded the building." Wimer told police "he wanted to die, instead of going to jail."

Wimer was taken to the hospital -- and was admitted.

Police entered the pharmacy after Wimer surrendered, and they were able to recover the unloaded shotgun.

They then spoke with the pharmacist, Robert Steib.

Steib told police he noticed Wimer's prescription for 21 oxycodone had a DEA number that was expired -- making the prescription illegal. Steib also told police Wimer's state insurance coverage denied coverage of the prescription -- and so he told Wimer he could not fill the prescription.

That's when Steib says Wimer became upset -- eventually exiting the pharmacy and returning with the shotgun.

Steib told police Wimer had the shotgun pointed at him, and was waving the barrel over Steib's head -- saying "You are going to fill my prescription now." That's when Steib hit the alarm button, and began to process the prescription.

Wimer looked away from Steib for a moment, and that's when Steib told police he grabbed a taser and pulled the trigger, but the taser didn't work.

Steib told Wimer the state insurance had denied coverage, and he would have to pay $33.25 in cash for the prescription. The complaint says Wimer only had $26, and Steib accepted the payment.

Wimer then grabbed the prescription, and offered Steib the shotgun -- saying "Just take the gun" -- further stating the gun was not loaded, according to Steib's statement to police.

At the hospital, police spoke with Wimer -- who said he wanted to commit suicide because he is currently homeless, living out of his vehicle that doesn't run, doesn't have a job, and his wife has cancer, according to the complaint. Wimer told police he is a welder, and he hurt himself on the job -- which resulted in him being prescribed vicodin and oxycodone.

Wimer told police he is addicted to pain medication and has been fighting with his insurance company because he cannot afford the $200 visits.

Wimer said he was having a difficult time getting his prescription filled -- and said he had been to a couple of pharmacies -- telling police he borrowed his friend's vehicle and went to the New Berlin Pharmacy -- "slamming a half pint of vodka" before entering the pharmacy.

Wimer told police he brought the shotgun into the pharmacy "with the intent to scare the pharmacist."

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