Jeremy Simon Garcia, 20, of Austin pleaded not guilty to felony first-degree aggravated robbery-dangerous weapon on Monday in Mower County District Court.

Garcia was arrested on Nov. 24 as a suspect in an armed robbery that occurred Nov. 11 at Ankeny’s Mini Mart No. 1 at 1205 Oakland Place SE.

Clerks told police two masked suspects entered the store and demanded money. One of the suspects brandished a small pistol, which one of the clerks though might have been a BB gun. She handed him the money and the other suspect asked for a pack of Newport 100 cigarettes.

The store’s owner said $2,305.63 in cash was taken.

Surveillance video showed the first suspect, later identified as a 16-year-old juvenile male, enter the store first, followed by the suspect with the gun, who police believe to be Garcia. The video showed the clerk giving the suspects money from the cash register and two bank bags from behind the counter.

The juvenile suspect was arrested Nov. 13 and allegedly told police he did not want to talk about the robbery until he knew what kind of “deal” he would get from the prosecutor, but would identify the second suspect if the deal was “good enough,” according to court documents. While he agreed the video of the robbery showed he was not the suspect with the gun, the juvenile was found to be in possession of a pack of Newport 100 cigarettes.

Court documents state Garcia told police the juvenile suspect robbed the store and he knew who was with the juvenile. Garcia initially denied being involved, then allegedly admitted to being with the juvenile suspect. He said the juvenile planned the robbery because he wanted to “get out of town” and the pistol used was a BB gun.

Police executed a search warrant on Garcia’s residence and found a black BB gun in his bedroom.

A jury trial for Garcia has been scheduled for Jan. 28.