STATEN ISLAND — An ex-con who threatened to stab a CVS worker with a needle he said was infected with AIDS during a robbery attempt last year was sentenced to seven years in prison, District Attorney Michael McMahon announced.
Judge Wayne Ozzi sentenced Frank Andolina, 48, Wednesday.
"The defendant made a brazen robbery attempt while wielding a dangerous hypodermic needle and the people of Staten Island are safer now that he is behind bars," McMahon said in a statement.
On Jan. 21, 2015, Andolina, of Woodrow, was stuffing cold medicine into his backpack at the CVS at 250 Page Ave., prosecutors said.
When an employee tried to stop him, Andolina forcibly kept the medicine, pushed the worker, then took out a needle and screamed "Let me go! I have AIDS! I will stab you," prosecutors said.
He tried, unsuccessfully, to stab the worker then fled without the cold medicine, prosecutors said. He was later arrested.
After a week-long jury trial in January, Andolina was convicted of attempted robbery and five other counts, the DA said.
Andolina has been arrested 47 times before and had four previous jail terms on charges including robbery and grand larceny, according to the DA and the state Department of Corrections.
