BENTON COUNTY, ARKANSAS, Ark. — A 20-year-old has pleaded not guilty to charges related to an alleged robbery at a Siloam Springs restaurant in May, according to court documents.
Noah Leffingwell, of Proctor, Oklahoma, was arrested for aggravated robbery, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, four counts of theft of property, aggravated assault, two counts of endangering the welfare of a minor, two counts of interfering with emergency communications, and no insurance.
On June 21, Benton County Prosecuting Attorney Josh Robinson officially filed the following charges: aggravated robbery, three counts of aggravated assault, theft of property, and felony with a firearm. Leffingwell pleaded not guilty to all of the charges on June 26.
According to an affidavit, officers responded to Barnett's Dairyette for a report of a robbery in progress on May 11. Dispatch said that there was a male in the restaurant with a shotgun, pointing it at people and robbing them. Employees told officers that the man who attempted to rob them had already left.
As officers were responding, an anonymous witness advised that they saw a man come from the area of Barnett's and enter a red truck, the affidavit said.
Some officers were then diverted to locate the suspect while others remained at the restaurant. Soon after, the truck was stopped for a search. The driver, identified as Leffingwell, was detained on the scene, according to court documents.
During a search of the vehicle, police located a fully loaded 12-gauge shotgun, multiple boxes of ammunition, clothing matching that of what Leffingwell was reportedly observed wearing in security footage, $768 in cash, duct tape, a notebook, and multiple phones, court filings said.
The restaurant's store manager provided security footage of the incident to police. The man in the video matched the man who was detained, according to the affidavit. The video showed Leffingwell entering through the front door with a shotgun. He was allegedly observed chambering a round into the gun and pointing it at an employee in the restaurant, attempting to get money from the register.
An employee can then be seen giving two cell phones and money from the register to Leffingwell. The suspect then left moments before police arrived, court documents said.
Leffingwell opted to remain silent during his arrest but later informed police he wanted to make statements. The suspect reportedly told police that he had begun plans to rob a business on the day of the incident. He told police that he was tired of being broke, according to the affidavit.
"Noah stated he hoped this was the only time he ever had to do anything like this," court documents said, adding that Leffingwell chose Barnett's for being an "easier target."
The total value of theft for the incident was estimated to be $1,568.
Four employees were identified as victims or witnesses and recounted the incident to police. One said that Leffingwell demanded all of the money from their wallet, but when informed that they only had $4, Leffingwell told them to keep it.
Leffingwell is being held on a $200,000 bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 25.
He has been ordered not to contact the staff or employees of Barnett's Dairyette.
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