A Bolivar man has pleaded guilty after prosecutors said he used a dating website to lure a victim into a robbery.
William Peairs, born in 1992, admitted guilt to charges of felony stealing and unlawful use of a weapon. In exchange, prosecutors dismissed charges of first-degree robbery and armed criminal action.
According to court records, the victim traveled to Bolivar in February 2025 to meet a woman he had connected with through a dating site. The woman allegedly directed him to an alley, saying they would have more privacy there.
Investigators said two men approached the vehicle after the victim parked. Peairs allegedly punched the victim, held a knife to the victim’s throat and forced him from the vehicle before driving away in the victim’s car with two other individuals.
Peairs was later recognized by a Bolivar police officer while visiting the police department on an unrelated matter.
A judge sentenced Peairs to seven years in prison for stealing and four years for unlawful use of a weapon. However, the court suspended execution of those sentences and instead placed him on five years of supervised probation.
Court records show the case has now been resolved through the plea agreement.
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