Jailed Man Charged For New Year's Eve Pizza Hut Robbery

A Sarasota man already in jail facing an aggravated assault charge is now being charged with the New Year's Eve Pizza Hut Robbery.

The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office arrested Ernest Lee Krause, 56, of 3149 Monica Parkway, Sarasota and charged him with one count of robbery with a deadly weapon, according to the sheriff's office.

Krause was already in jail facing an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge for threatening a man with a knife at his home Sunday night, according to the sheriff's office.

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Just before 11 p.m., on Dec. 31, witnesses said the suspect entered the Pizza Hut, 3251 17th St., handed the employee a note demanding money and claiming to have a gun, and fled the area on foot. During the investigation, people who knew of Krause told detectives that he said he was going to rob the Pizza Hut, and took detectives to a ditch where Krause told them he hid a Co2 pellet pistol and a box of .22 caliber bullets used in the crime, according to the sheriff's office.

Krause wanted the witness to help him retrieve the items later, according to the probable cause affidavit.