SAN DIEGO -- A man who robbed 20 businesses across San Diego County over a one-month period, threatening to shoot female employees if they didn't hand over cash, was sentenced Monday to 14 years in state prison.

Dragon Jones, 41, pleaded guilty last month.

The defendant told police he went on the robbery spree after his restaurant in Tijuana failed last year and he needed money to support his wife and two children.

"Things got very difficult for him financially," defense attorney Mel Epley told Judge Kathleen Lewis.

Epley, arguing unsuccessfully for an eight-year prison sentence, said Jones now realizes how many people he scared by brandishing what turned out to be a pellet gun.

Jones, who had no prior record, realizes he made bad choices and is remorseful for his actions, Epley told the judge.

Epley said Jones picked small businesses where women worked so there would be no confrontation and nobody would get hurt.

The defendant, who faced up to 16 years behind bars, apologized to the court before he was sentenced.

"I hope one day the victims can forgive me," Jones said.

Deputy District Attorney Amy Maund told the judge that some of Jones' victims have quit their jobs or changed their hours. Some still work in fear, the prosecutor said.

At Jones' arraignment last November, Maund told reporters last November that law enforcement gave Jones the nickname the "Backroom Bandit" because after each robbery, he would order a lone female employee to the back of the store and tell her not to call police.

Jones told his victims that if they called police, "he'd be back," the prosecutor said.

Maund said that from Sept. 25 through Oct. 29, Jones robbed 20 yogurt shops, ice cream shops, pet stores, lingerie shops, hair and beauty supply stores and Hallmark shops in Poway, La Mesa, San Diego, El Cajon, Chula Vista, National City and Lemon Grove.

The prosecutor said the defendant would enter a business that usually had one female working and ordered her to open the cash register, displaying what was believed to be a real gun.

If the victim hesitated to hand over the money, Jones would threaten to shoot her, Maund alleged.

A fingerprint left at a crime scene led authorities to Jones, Maund said.

She said the defendant was arrested Oct. 31 as he tried to come back into the United States from Mexico at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.

On Monday, the judge ordered Jones to make restitution to the victims of $4,291.

Outside court, Epley said Jones had a business fail in Los Angeles a few years ago, met his current wife, and moved to Tijuana.