A Cranberry Township man will spend 11 1/2 to 23 months in prison for trying to rob a dry cleaning business last fall with a hypodermic needle.

Devan A Ness, 26, pleaded guilty to a felony count of robbery and was sentenced Thursday by Butler County Judge William Shaffer.

According to court records, the attempted robbery occurred Oct. 8, when Ness walked into Take It to the Cleaners on Freedom Road in Cranberry with a partial mask, sunglasses and a hood pulled over his head.

He demanded money from a worker, and displayed a syringe.

However, court records say the would-be robber fled the store empty-handed right when the owner was coming back in. The store owner reportedly held the door open for Ness thinking he was a customer.

According to court records, officials identified Ness from the video surveillance of a nearby convenience store.

Ness at the time of sentencing was given credit for the 218 days he has spent in prison awaiting the resolution of the case.

When he is released, he also must serve three years of probation.

Attorney Joseph Smith said his client had an opiate addiction at the time of the robbery.

“This was a good resolution to the case,” Smith said.