A St. Albans woman was arrested Tuesday and charged with robbing a video slot machine parlor in St. Albans.

In a criminal complaint filed in Kanawha Magistrate Court late Tuesday, St. Albans police said Melissa Ann Spencer, 28, of St. Albans walked into Lewie's, a video gaming parlor on MacCorkle Avenue in St. Albans at about 8:30 p.m.

Spencer, with her two small children in tow, allegedly held a Crossman pellet pistol to the head of clerk Margaret Songer and demanded money.

Songer told police she gave Spencer money, her cell phone and her car keys before Spencer left.

St. Albans police said they found Spencer sitting on a porch a few houses away a short time later. The pellet gun, Songer's cell phone and keys were found on the chair she was sitting on, and police said they found a large amount of cash in Spencer's waistband and more in a plastic bag on the porch.

Spencer later told police she just wanted a better life for her kids and didn't mean to scare Songer. She said she was sorry for robbing the video parlor.

Spencer was charged with armed robbery and two counts of gross child neglect. She faces 10 years in prison on the robbery charge and one to five years in prison for each child neglect charge.

Spencer was expected to go to the South Central Regional Jail late Tuesday on $100,000 bond.

In a criminal complaint filed in Kanawha Magistrate Court late Tuesday, St. Albans police said Melissa Ann Spencer, 28, of St. Albans walked into Lewie's, a video gaming parlor on MacCorkle Avenue in St. Albans at about 8:30 p.m.

Spencer, with her two small children in tow, allegedly held a Crossman pellet pistol to the head of clerk Margaret Songer and demanded money.

Songer told police she gave Spencer money, her cell phone and her car keys before Spencer left.

St. Albans police said they found Spencer sitting on a porch a few houses away a short time later. The pellet gun, Songer's cell phone and keys were found on the chair she was sitting on, and police said they found a large amount of cash in Spencer's waistband and more in a plastic bag on the porch.

Spencer later told police she just wanted a better life for her kids and didn't mean to scare Songer. She said she was sorry for robbing the video parlor.

Spencer was charged with armed robbery and two counts of gross child neglect. She faces 10 years in prison on the robbery charge and one to five years in prison for each child neglect charge.

Spencer was expected to go to the South Central Regional Jail late Tuesday on $100,000 bond.