By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – A 54-year-old Alabaster man is scheduled to appear in court for an arraignment after he was indicted on charges of allegedly shooting a victim during a December 2014 robbery.

During its February session, a Shelby County grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Sylvester Rhine, charging him with felony counts of first-degree robbery and second-degree assault.

According to the indictment, Rhine allegedly shot a victim during a robbery off Fifth Avenue Southeast shortly after 10 a.m. on Dec. 30, 2014. The indictment alleges Rhine stole U.S. currency from the victim and shot the man, causing serious physical injury.

During the Dec. 30 incident, officers arrived on the scene and discovered a shooting occurred, but were unable to locate the victim or the suspect.

The victim then appeared at the Shelby Baptist Medical Center emergency room about 20 minutes after the shooting suffering a gunshot wound to the hand.

In a recommendation to raise the suspect’s bond amount, the District Attorney’s Office wrote Rhine “has a very lengthy record, including multiple prior convictions for violent crimes, drug offenses, property crimes and has also been previously charged with escape in the first degree.”

“Defendant is a danger to the public at large, and is considered a flight risk,” read the bond recommendation.

According to court records, Rhine pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree assault in 1992 for stabbing a victim and striking them with a vehicle. Rhine also previously was convicted on charges of destruction of property by an inmate, unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, three counts of possession of a controlled substance, second-degree burglary, second-degree receiving stolen property, manufacturing imitation drugs, resisting arrest, public intoxication and one count of second-degree assault.

As of March 5, Rhine was being held in the Shelby County Jail on bonds totaling $150,000. He is scheduled to appear in court for arraignment on March 23 at 8:30 a.m.

First-degree robbery is a Class A felony, and is punishable by up to life in prison upon conviction.