WELLSBURG — A Wellsburg man has been sentenced to 10 to 36 years in prison in connection with a pair of attempted carjackings outside businesses on American Way.

Robert Jeffrey Bailey, 44, of Wellsburg received the sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of second-degree robbery for incidents committed on July 2, 2024.

Charges of entering a building other than a dwelling, fleeing an officer and fleeing with reckless indifference were dismissed as part of a plea agreement accepted by 1st Judicial Circuit Court Judge Jason Cuomo.

Brooke County Prosecutor Allison Cowden said a woman told Weirton Police she was outside her car in the parking lot of the WVU Medicine Weirton Medical Center Sleep Center when a man later identified by police as Bailey approached her.

The woman told police Bailey initially asked for a ride and when she declined, presented a gun and demanded her vehicle, but she still refused.

Cowden said Bailey then fled to a nearby restaurant, entering it and pointing the gun at a man there, demanding his car keys.

She said Bailey later told police the weapon wasn’t real.

Cowden said a woman entering the restaurant said Bailey told her “Sorry” as he passed her and left the business.

City Police said when they found the vehicle at WVU Medicine Weirton Medical Center, Bailey led them on a chase from there to a wooded area near Woodbridge Apartments, where he crashed into a tree and fled on foot.

Police said Bailey then was sighted again on American Way, where he had entered the passenger side of a vehicle near Valley Foot and Ankle Care.

They said the driver jumped out of the vehicle, and Bailey attempted to climb into the driver’s seat but was pulled from the vehicle by an officer.