Juveniles to face charges as adults

Teens accused of armed robberies in Lake County

Three juveniles suspected of committing multiple armed robberies in western Lake County will face charges as adults.

In addition, officials are seeking to bind over a fourth juvenile to Lake County Common Pleas Court.

Jonathan Roebuck, 17, of Cleveland, is accused of committing a Dec. 16 armed robbery at the Willowick Rite Aid on Lake Shore Boulevard and then robbing Circle K on Vine Street in Willoughby a short time later.

Monte Smedley, 16, of Cleveland, is the co-defendant in the Circle K case. Another Cleveland juvenile suspected of helping to rob Rite Aid has not yet been bound over to adult court.

Meanwhile, 16-year-old Michael Petro of Willowick is

suspected of robbing the Subway on Lake Shore Boulevard in Willowick around 4:30 p.m. Jan. 1.

“It is my policy to ask the Juvenile Court to relinquish jurisdiction and try the defendants as adults when such serious crimes are committed,” County Prosecutor Charles Coulson said. “We certainly have seen an increase of serious crimes committed by juveniles in Lake County.”

According to Willowick police, two males entered Rite Aid with a semi-automatic handgun and demanded money from the clerk shortly after 7:30 p.m. Upon leaving, the culprits snatched a purse from a woman who was entering the store.

After the Circle K incident, Wickliffe police located a 2016 Jeep Cherokee SUV traveling west on Interstate 90 around 9 p.m. The vehicle — which had been reported stolen out of Cleveland — matched the description of the one used in the Rite Aid incident.

Wickliffe officers attempted to stop the SUV but called off the attempt when the driver traveled recklessly at a high rate of speed. Cleveland police found the stolen Jeep that night at a Marathon gas station. Three suspects ran from the SUV, but officers were able to apprehend the youngest.

The others were located after warrants were put out.

In the Subway incident, surveillance video shows a male pointing a handgun at an employee as he approaches the counter. During the robbery, the suspect hits the employee with the gun. Nobody was hit by the bullets, but the employee was taken to the hospital for superficial injuries.

Lake County Juvenile Court Judge Karen Lawson recently found that all three teens were not amenable to care or rehabilitation in the juvenile system.

Roebuck and Petro remained shackled during their recent hearings before Lawson, who found the youths posed a “current and significant threat to the safety of other persons in the courtroom.”

Roebuck, who was charged with three felonies — aggravated robbery, kidnapping and robbery, will remain in the Juvenile Detention Facility until a March 2 hearing on transferring him to Lake County Jail is held, or until he posts 10 percent of a $500,000 bond.

Roebuck committed the crimes for hire or as part of a gang or other organized criminal activity, according to court documents.

Petro is charged with aggravated robbery, kidnapping and felonious assault. His bond was set at 10 percent of $250,000.

Smedley is charged with complicity to aggravated robbery, complicity to kidnapping and receiving stolen property. His bond was also set at $250,000.

Petro and Smedley have been moved to Lake County Jail.