ANDERSON — An Anderson man faces six to 20 years in prison after he pleaded guilty Monday to charges that he injured a store clerk while robbing a tobacco shop.

Harold O. Afzal Jr., 43, pleaded guilty to a Class C felony charge of robbery resulting in bodily injury. Afzal admitted in court that he robbed Discount Tobacco, 2625 Columbus Ave., on July 21, 2008.

Deputy Prosecutor Rudolph Pyle III said that Afzal went to the store at about 9 p.m. that night, bought a piece of candy, dropped a wrapper on the floor and then attempted to grab money out of the open cash register, Pyle said.

The cashier tried to close the register, and a struggle resulted. The cashier suffered a shoulder injury, and Afzal fled with a fistful of $5 bills, but dropped money while running away.

The cashier later picked Afzal out of a photo lineup. Afzal said he turned himself in on the store-robbery charges last August.

Because of past convictions for robbery, battery and other crimes, prosecutors had sought to have Afzal deemed a habitual offender, which would have meant an enhanced sentence.

But the plea entered on Monday leaves sentencing at the discretion of Madison Superior Court 1 Judge Dennis Carroll, Pyle said. The plea agreement does not specify a recommended sentence.

In exchange for Afzal’s guilty plea on the principal charge against him related to the robbery, prosecutors dropped a single felony charge of theft.

What’s next

Harold O. Afzal Jr. will be sentenced on Aug. 3 in Madison Superior Court 1. He faces six to 20 years in prison on a felony charge of robbery resulting in bodily injury. Man pleads guilty of injuring store clerk in robbery

Contact Dave Stafford: 648-4250, dave.stafford @heraldbulletin.com