LEWISTON — An Auburn man pleaded guilty Tuesday in Lewiston District Court to robbing convenience stores in Greene and Lewiston on Christmas Day.

Tyler Barnard, 25, was arrested Christmas morning, along with Stanley W. Laurinaitis, 27, of Sabattus. They were each charged with two counts of robbery and two counts of theft by unauthorized taking.

The robbery charges are Class B felonies, each punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The theft charges are misdemeanors, each of which carries a maximum sentence of up to six months in jail.

Lewiston police officer Corey Jacques said in an affidavit that at 1:30 a.m., he received a report of an armed robbery at the Big Apple convenience store at 1198 Lisbon St.

The suspects were reported as males wearing dark face masks with what appeared to be handguns tucked into their waistbands.

The clerk turned over the money, Jacques said in the affidavit. K-9 units and police officers were unsuccessful in tracking down the suspects.

However, three hours later, Jacques said he learned of another armed robbery at the Circle K gas station on Route 202 in Greene. The description of the suspects in the Greene robbery matched the description of the suspects in the Lewiston robbery.

Jacques said that Deputy Randy Williams was able to match a description of the suspects’ vehicle to a car driving on Main Street in Lewiston.

Upon pulling the vehicle over, Williams said he saw face masks and handguns on the floor of the car, and identified Laurinaitis and Barnard as the passengers of the vehicle.

After being arrested, Jacques said Laurinaitis admitted to planning the robberies and carrying them out with Barnard.

Barnard was released from the Androscoggin County Jail on his own personal recognizance and has applied for drug court. He has not been sentenced.

The conditions of Barnard’s release prevent him from possessing or using any alcohol or illegal drugs, and to submit to random searches and testing for alcohol and drugs.

mdaigle@sunmediagroup.net