A man convicted of robbing a local convenience store will get a chance to avoid prison by completing a boot camp.Darnell Thomas, 20, was sentenced this morning to 52 months in prison for an Aug. 24 armed robbery at Presto, 2330 Iowa. But Judge Robert Fairchild granted Thomas’ request to go to the Labette Correctional Conservation Camp in Oswego as a step short of going to prison. If Thomas completes the 5-month camp successfully, he’ll spend another six months on probation.But if he fails to finish the camp, he could be ordered to serve the prison sentence. Thomas has said he robbed the store because he lost his job, became homeless, and didn’t know what else to do for money.-contributed by Eric Weslander.