Alleged Robber: It Wasn't Me, I was Having Sex

A 33-year-old Providence man is facing first-degree robbery charges after he allegedly on May 6 told a clerk at Kattan's Market that "I swear on my father I'll shoot you if you don't give me the money," police said.

The man, identified by police as Leslie Bernal, 33, of 201 Pitman St., Providence, was handed $341 in assorted bills. He then demanded car keys, but the clerk said he didn't have a car.

So Bernal took off running after telling the clerk he'd shoot him if he told anyone, police said, but it didn't take long for Cranston officers to find him a ways down the street, acting nervously and sweating profusely.

According to a police report, Bernal told officers that he met a friend nearby and "had engaged in homosexual sex and had just been dropped off" and was simply walking back towards Providence to go home.

But police said Bernal couldn't explain why he had $341 cash with him. And he didn't help his cause when he tried to run away from police as they were questioning him.

Police said Bernal was positively identified by the clerk when they drove him back to the market for a "walk up."

Along with the first-degree robbery charge, Bernal was charged with resisting arrest. Police said Bernal also had a total of seven outstanding warrants at the time of his arrest.

Bernal is being held without bail at the Adult Correctional Institutions for the outstanding warrants. Bail was set at $7,500 with surety on the new charges. He is due to appear in court on May 21 for a violation hearing.