WICHITA – A 53-year-old Wichita man has been sentenced to federal prison for committing robberies at five local businesses.

James L. Simmons was sentenced Wednesday to 188-months. He pleaded guilty to a series of five robberies in Wichita during which he threatened clerks with violence, including:

Harry Street Liquor, at 3120 E. Harry, on Nov. 10, 2010, Tocs Coffeehouse, at 1519 George Washington Boulevard, on Nov. 16, 2010, the Quick Trip, at 1610 E. Lincoln, on May 14, 2011, the Dollar General Store, at 2747 E. Boulevard Plaza, on May 15, 2011 and Valero, at 731 N. Ridge, on May 24, 2011.

Simmons has previous convictions for a number of robbery counts, as well as drugs and criminal damage to property. All of those from Sedgwick and Douglas counties.