STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Citing an inexplicable illness, a Staten Island man convicted of armed robbery refused to appear in court last week for a pre-sentencing conference.
Michael Mendez, 36, of Veterans Road West in Charleston, pleaded guilty in March to first-degree robbery in connection with a pair of knifepoint robberies two years ago in Eltingville.
He was due back in court Thursday. However, when the bus from Rikers Island arrived at the building, he wasn’t on it…