Man charged in robbery that may have involved a drug exchange

A Sacramento felon was arrested Tuesday after allegedly robbing a man at knifepoint during a suspected drug deal in a gas station parking lot.

Brett Court, 30, is being held in the Carson City Jail on suspicion of felony robbery with a deadly weapon, failure to register as a felon and misdemeanor possession of marijuana.

According to Carson City Sheriff's Detective Brian Humphrey, investigators were called to the Short Stop Market at Park and Carson streets at 2 p.m. on the report of a robbery.

When they got there, the victim John Lara, 21, allegedly ran from investigators and was stopped a short distance away. He then told police he had been robbed of cash by two men on bicycles.

Two suspects matching the victim's description were stopped at Roop and Park streets. Humphrey said Lara, who suffered a cut to his hand, identified Court and Fred Gower, 20, as the men that robbed him.

During an interview with detectives, Gower allegedly revealed the altercation occurred during the sale of marijuana.

Gower and Lara were questioned and released. Lara denied Gower's explanation of events.

"Based upon our investigation, we'll be submitting (for charges) to the district attorney on those two subjects as well," Humphrey said.