Taco John’s robber misses sentencing

A man convicted in a robbery earlier this year at a local Taco John’s restaurant disappeared this week shortly before he was due in court for sentencing.

Michael Scott Moreno, 19, was out of jail on bond and was due in Douglas County District Court Wednesday morning to be sentenced. But on Tuesday, his parents reported him missing to Lawrence Police, and on Wednesday he failed to appear for sentencing.

Police said there were indications he may have been using someone else’s identification to leave town and get to the West Coast.

He entered a plea in connection with a Jan. 4 holdup at the Taco John’s at 1626 W. 23rd St. Police said he and a 16-year-old Leavenworth County boy were suspected of putting on ski masks and using BB guns to rob the store.