A Fort Myers man pleaded guilty Tuesday to armed robbery after holding up a pizza shop near downtown at gunpoint, injuring an employee, and stealing cash.
The man, who was already on state sex offender probation and wearing a GPS monitor, now faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
According to court documents, Shadarien Lamarr Ward, 22, robbed the shop on the evening of Sept. 1, pistol-whipping an employee before taking a cash register drawer and about $700.
Ward ran away but was later identified through surveillance footage that tracked him to a nearby motel.
Law enforcement determined that Ward had been wearing a GPS monitor as part of his probation, which allowed investigators to retrace his steps before and after the robbery.
Ward later cut off the monitor and fled supervision but was arrested at a motel in North Fort Myers soon after.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Myers Police Department investigated the case.