A man with 20 prior arrests received his first long prison sentence Friday when he was ordered to serve seven years for robbing a motel clerk in Annapolis.

Lovester C. Johnson, 27, of the 1400 block of Log Inn Road, Annapolis, was also ordered by Anne Arundel County Circuit Judge Eugene M. Lerner to spend five years on probation and receive drug and alcohol abuse counseling.

"This was his 21st arrest, including juveniles. That doesn't include his motor vehicle cases," Assistant State's Attorney Fred Paone said. Past efforts to help Johnson included a yearlong stay at a Pennsylvania school for troubled teen-agers.

"He has a drug problem," said Keith Gross, the assistant public defender representing Johnson.

In court, Johnson said he wanted drug treatment before being released from prison. Several of his prior convictions are for drug possession.

Johnson pleaded guilty in April to robbing the clerk of the Days Inn on Whitehall Road on July 27. He threatened her with what turned out to be a fake gun. He netted less than $100 in the robbery, Paone said.

Pub Date: 5/23/99