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Man gets 5 years for role in robbery in which student died

Juan Salas-Rueda
Juan Salas-Rueda
PITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) — A man involved in a home-invasion robbery in which a Pittsburg State University student was killed has been sentenced to five years in prison.

The Joplin Globe reports that 26-year-old Juan Salas-Rueda was sentenced Wednesday for one count of aggravated robbery.

Prosecutors have said they don’t believe Salas-Rueda was present when Taylor Thomas was killed, but that he provided the weapons used in the robbery.

Thomas was a 20-year-old junior at the school when killed in October 2014. Authorities allege the intruders were seeking drugs and money, with the drugs belonging to Thomas’ roommate. The roommate has pleaded no contest to a marijuana-distribution charge.

Initially, Salas-Rueda also faced charges of felony murder, aggravated burglary and obstruction. Those counts were dropped under a plea deal he accepted in May.

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