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An Austin man was sentenced to five years in prison on Wednesday in Freeborn County District Court tied to his role in an armed robbery in January in Albert Lea. 

Shawn Michael Miller, 36, last month pleaded guilty to one charge of ineligible person in possession of a firearm after a crime of violence. He initially was also charged with first-degree aggravated robbery, first-degree burglary while in possession of a dangerous weapon or explosive and second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, but those charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement in the case. 

Court documents stated Miller was one of two suspects who had reportedly robbed an individual in a house on St. John Avenue. Authorities stated one of the individuals reportedly fired a 9 mm pistol, while the other individual reportedly struck the person in the face with a baseball bat.  

Miller was ultimately arrested by a Minnesota State Patrol trooper after a traffic stop, and in a search of the vehicle, law enforcement found a 9mm semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine and seized Miller’s shoes, which matched footprints in the snow outside the residence.  

The agreement called for Miller to serve the time concurrent with the sentence from another case in Mower County, in which he was charged with second-degree drug possession and being a violent felon in possession of a firearm.

He will receive credit for 226 days already served in jail and will serve his term at the St. Cloud prison.