Armed Robber Of Kingston Eatery Gets Prison Term: DA

KINGSTON, NY — A man convicted of robbing the Downtown Cafe at gunpoint last year has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Torrel Skinner, 42, of Kingston, was sentenced as a second felony offender for first-degree robbery and related crimes, the Ulster County District Attorney's Office announced Friday.

A jury convicted Skinner this summer following a trial in Ulster County Court before Judge James Farrell.

According to prosecutors, Skinner entered the restaurant on Oct. 10, 2024, then threatened the owner and a waitress with a firearm. He demanded money, threatened a “murder” if they did not comply, then fled with the victims’ money, prosecutors said.

The waitress, who had seen him previously and recognized his “unique face and head-tilt,” identified Skinner as the robber, according to prosecutors.

Police located Skinner two days later. While being questioned about his sex offender registration status, “he blurted out that he thought they wanted to speak to him about the store incident which no one had yet mentioned to him,” prosecutors said.

Skinner still faces charges for failure to register or verify his address as a sex offender, according to the district attorney’s office.

The judge ordered Skinner to make restitution to his victims. After he serves the 20 year sentence, he will be on supervised release for another five years.

District Attorney Emmanuel Nneji said the robbery has had a lasting impact on the victims.

“He did not just take money in this case – he took the sense of safety and security from people who were working to earn a living for themselves and their families,” Nneji said. “As if his presentation of a gun was not enough, he verbalized ‘murder’ to his victims, forever changing their lives.”