Executive Summary
- Samantha Lynn Buchman and Blake Allan Christy were sentenced for a staged robbery at a Des Moines Git N Go.
- Buchman received probation, while Christy was sentenced to two five-year prison terms.
- Text messages and surveillance footage revealed the pair planned the heist during Buchman’s shift.
- Christy was previously wanted on the Iowa Sex Offender Most Wanted List.
Two defendants involved in a coordinated effort to stage an armed robbery at a Des Moines gas station last summer have been sentenced in separate hearings at the Polk County District Court. The sentencing follows an investigation that revealed the store clerk and an accomplice conspired to fabricate the crime.
Samantha Lynn Buchman, 38, who was employed as the store clerk during the incident, received two suspended five-year prison terms on November 3 and was placed on probation. According to court records, Blake Allan Christy, 35, the accomplice who entered the store with a handgun, was sentenced four days later on November 7. Christy received two five-year prison sentences to be served in state custody, which will run concurrently but are added to his existing parole obligations.
The incident occurred on July 6 at the Git N Go located at 4224 NW Second St. Criminal complaints state that Christy entered the premises shortly before midnight, wearing a blue hooded shirt, and pointed a black handgun at Buchman. Investigators reported that Buchman emptied the register and a floor safe into a bag, handing it to Christy before he departed the scene.
Deputies from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office located Christy shortly after the robbery, leading to a pursuit. Authorities stated that during the chase, Christy allegedly displayed a firearm and threatened self-harm before jumping a fence and dropping the stolen money along with his cell phone. He was subsequently arrested on July 24 in Ottumwa.
Court filings indicate that a review of text messages exchanged between the pair detailed their plans to execute the robbery and frame Buchman as the victim. Surveillance footage further corroborated their connection, showing the two together inside the store the evening prior to the crime. Buchman pleaded guilty to second-degree theft and making a false report, while Christy admitted to second-degree theft and interference with official acts involving a firearm.
Judicial Outcome and Investigative Insight
This case highlights the critical role of digital forensics and surveillance in distinguishing between genuine external threats and internal theft schemes. The swift sentencing, particularly of Christy—who was also identified on the Iowa Sex Offender Most Wanted List in Dubuque County—underscores the judicial system’s rigorous approach to recidivism and crimes involving firearms. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
