KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Leavenworth man was sentenced to prison Friday for assaulting the owner of a Mexican restaurant during a dine and dash incident last year.
Joshua M. Mortiz, 33, will spend 44 months, or nearly four years, in prison for the crimes, according to the Leavenworth County Attorney's Office.
On May 19, 2023, Mortiz was eating at the restaurant with his wife and another family member.
Once done eating, Mortiz tried to leave without paying.
When the restaurant's owner tried to stop him, Mortiz pulled a knife on the owner and left.
Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson said it was the quick thinking of an employee that led to the arrest of Mortiz.
The employee saved a beer bottle Mortiz had drank from.
Thus, investigators were able to pull DNA from the bottle to link it to Mortiz.
"This case was aided by an employee's quick thinking and great work by the Leavenworth Police Department and the KBI," Thompson said in a news release. "My thanks to everyone who worked together to solve this case."
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