Minter gets 20 years

By Cassandra Mickens

The Selma Times-Journal

Robbing Petro Food and Gas earned Jessie Minter, 35, of Sardis, a 20-year prison sentence in Circuit Judge Jack Meigs’ court Friday.

Minter – who pled guilty to robbery charges – held up Petro employee Munir Ahmad in October 2005, according to a court document. Petro Food and Gas is located on U.S. Highway 80 East.

In the document, Ahmad said, “A black male produced an unknown type hand gun and demanded U.S. currency.” Ahmad then told Minter he also had a gun and was going to call the police. Minter fled the scene.

Ahmad later revealed he knew who Minter was, adding a fellow Petro employee named John Wilson introduced Minter as his half brother.

At the request of law enforcement officials, Wilson viewed surveillance video and said he was “100 percent sure” Minter was the robber.

“My dad raised that boy,” Wilson said. A lot of people think (Minter) is my half brother, but he is not. My father just raised him.”

District Attorney Michael Jackson said he is pleased with the court’s ruling, saying one more criminal is off Selma’s streets.

“We are going to keep shipping these gunslingers off to prison,” he said. “Robberies will not be tolerated.”