Woman who threatened Kohl’s employees with taser during robbery in Auburn admits guilt before trial begins

A high-profile robbery case that was set to go to trial ended in an admission hours before its start, according to prosecutors in Cayuga County.

Kahlila Bender-Baker, a 36-year-old woman from Syracuse, admitted to committing a robbery at the Kohl’s department store near Auburn. The store is technically located in the town of Aurelius.

The plea, which came just before the trial was set to commence, was confirmed by Cayuga County District Attorney Brittany Grome Antonacci in a recent news release. Bender-Baker pled guilty to second-degree robbery, a violent felony, and third-degree grand larceny, encompassing the entire indictment against her.

The incident, which occurred on June 11, involved Bender-Baker and three other individuals from Onondaga County. They reportedly stole over $3,000 worth of merchandise from the store.

In a more alarming turn of events, Bender-Baker threatened a store employee with a taser while exiting through the back emergency exit.

Bender-Baker now faces a substantial prison sentence ranging from 3.5 to 15 years, along with five years of post-release supervision. Her sentencing is scheduled for March 21.

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