By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

COLUMBIANA – A 29-year-old Maylene woman is facing up to life in prison after she was found guilty on June 12 of robbing a Montevallo restaurant at gunpoint in 2016.

A jury found Tierra Symone Dent, who lists an address on Meadow Circle in Maylene, guilty on counts of first-degree robbery and fourth-degree theft of property on June 12, after a two-and-a-half-day trial in Shelby County Circuit Court.

As of June 13, her sentencing date had not yet been set, but her bond was revoked, and she is being held in the Shelby County Jail pending sentencing. The case was tried by Shelby County Chief Assistant District Attorney Alan Miller and Assistant District Attorney Shaun Styers.

On May 12, 2016, Montevallo police took to social media to request the public’s help in identifying a suspect who allegedly robbed the restaurant, which is on Main Street in downtown Montevallo.

Photos posted on the department’s Facebook page depicted a woman dressed in black clothing and a black cap flashing a handgun to the restaurant’s cashier after ordering a sandwich.

Through tips from the community, Montevallo police were able to identify the suspect as Dent, and take her into custody on May 25, 2016.

Dent originally was released from the Shelby County Jail on bonds totaling $31,000 on June 3, 2016. She was indicted on the two charges in January 2017.

According to her arrest warrants, Dent stole money, food and a drink from the restaurant – the total value of which was less than $500 – while she was armed with a handgun.