HOLLIDAYSBURG — A DuBois man accused in a pair of armed robberies in July 2023 pleaded guilty Friday in Blair County Court to 10 charges across the two cases against him.

Joseph Michael Mazza, 32, appeared alongside Chief Public Defender Julia Burke to plead guilty in front of President Judge Wade A. Kagarise to two misdemeanor counts each of theft, making terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person, receiving stolen property and simple assault. In exchange for the guilty pleas, Mazza left his sentences open to the court.

All other charges against Mazza would merge and be withdrawn. His sentencing date will be set at a later time.

The charges stem from a traffic stop in mid-July 2023, when Mazza and co-defendant Amber Lyn Herren, 28, were arrested near Port Matilda. The couple’s baby was found in the vehicle, along with the gun allegedly used in the robberies, court documents state.

Altoona police responded to the Unique Tobacco Store, 1313 Valley View Blvd., for an armed robbery earlier that day. While on scene, police were notified of a second robbery, this one at the Dollar General Store in the Bald Eagle area of Tyrone, with dispatchers reporting that the descriptions matched those involved in the tobacco store robbery.

A search of Mazza turned up a Remington single stack pistol magazine loaded with rounds for a 9mm. After police secured a search warrant on the vehicle, a Remington R51 9mm pistol, loaded with seven rounds, was found in a diaper bag, along with $5,580 in cash. An additional $5 bill was found on the front passenger floor. Investigators also found the ball cap, bandanas and gloves allegedly worn by Mazza, the police report states.

Mazza initially faced 21 charges across the two cases, including felony charges of robbery, conspiracy to robbery, possession of a firearm prohibited, endangering the welfare of children, terroristic threats and carrying a firearm without a license, along with misdemeanor charges of simple assault, possession of a weapon, receiving stolen property, theft and recklessly endangering another person.

Court documents state that Mazza has an extensive criminal history, including robbery, burglary, theft, assaults, weapons violations and drug convictions.

Bail was denied in both of his cases, with the reason given as “defendant is an extreme risk to community safety,” he has a “violent criminal history” and “proof is evident,” according to docket information.

Mazza remains incarcerated at the Blair County Prison.