ESCANABA — The downstate man charged with armed robbery of the Escanaba Hardee’s restaurant pleaded guilty in Delta County Circuit Court recently.

On Sept. 16, Mark James Wilson, 59, of 10098 Woodlawn Drive, Portage, pleaded guilty to one count of armed robbery, a felony punishable up to life or any terms of years, and admitted to being a habitual offender.

His admittance to being a habitual offender – fourth offense, means the sentence must be at least 25 years.

Wilson was arrested on July 9 after attempting to rob the Hardee’s restaurant in Escanaba.

Local law enforcement agencies responded to a reported armed robbery attempt at the restaurant on July 9.

At about 11:35 a.m., Delta County Central Dispatch received a 911 call reporting a man had passed a note to a cashier at Hardee’s indicating he was robbing the restaurant. Wilson then entered the restaurant’s bathroom and stayed there until authorities arrived on the scene. Escanaba Public Safety officers entered the restaurant and were eventually able to talk Wilson into exiting the bathroom without incident. No firearms were found.

Wilson’s bond was set at $500,000 cash/surety. He remains lodged in the Delta County Correctional Facility.

The incident was his second robbery attempt in Escanaba in the last 10 years.

Wilson committed an unarmed robbery of Arby’s restaurant in Escanaba in 2009. He received a prison sentence of three years for that robbery.

Wilson will be sentenced on Dec. 2.