An ex-con pleaded not guilty Thursday in an armed robbery at a Pasadena restaurant that was allegedly triggered when he refused to adhere to the eatery’s face covering requirement.
Steve Carlos Williams, 43, of Duarte, is charged with two counts each of second-degree robbery and assault with a firearm, along with one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
The criminal complaint alleges that Williams has six prior convictions dating back to 2003.
Surveillance cameras at Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles at 830 S. N. Lake Ave. recorded Williams engaged in an argument Feb. 3 with an employee over the facial covering requirement, according to Lt. Carolyn Gordon of the Pasadena Police Department.
Williams refused to comply and pulled out a handgun while threatening employees, Gordon said.
“The suspect demanded a bag of food items and after receiving the filled bag, he took this food and several other food orders, which were waiting for customer to pick up,” she said.
Police were dispatched to the location after the suspect fled the scene in a dark-colored, four-door sedan, she said.
Williams was subsequently arrested in connection with unrelated charges, according to Gordon. He has remained behind bars since then, jail records show.
He is due back in a Pasadena courtroom April 22, when a date is scheduled to be set for a hearing to determine if there is sufficient evidence to require if he should stand trial.
The criminal complaint alleges that Williams has previous convictions for burglary, unlawful driving or taking of a vehicle, drug offenses, a weapon offense and grand theft.