Willowick teen pleads guilty to robberies

A Willowick teenager has pleaded guilty in Lake County Common Pleas Court Oct. 25 to robbing two city businesses.

Michael Petro, 17, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and one count of felonious assault. All three charges are second-degree felonies.

One of the robbery charges also includes a firearm specification, which carries a three-year mandatory prison. Petro faces a total of 27 years behind bars.

Petro is being tried as an adult despite being a juvenile when he committed the robberies.

The first robbery occurred Nov. 29, 2017 at the Tobacco Express, 30740 Lakeshore Blvd. During that robbery Petro pointed what was believed to be a real handgun at a cashier, who emptied the drawers and threw the cash at Petro.

The weapon turned out to be a BB gun, Assistant Lake County Prosecutor Eric Foisel said Oct. 25 in court.

The second robbery, however, did involve a real handgun. That robbery occurred on New Year’s Day at the Subway restaurant, 30348 Lake Shore Blvd. Petro again pointed the weapon at an employee and demanded cash from the drawer, but the employee was having trouble opening the register. Foisel said that an impatient Petro fired a gunshot at a cabinet behind the register.

The employee was still struggling to open the register and Petro hit him with the gun, causing it to fire a second time.

Willowick police previously told the News-Herald the employee was not struck by either bullet.

Petro admitted to the robberies to Willowick detectives nine days later.

The case was bound over to the adult court in February. Lake County Juvenile Court Judge Karen Lawson found that Petro was not amenable to care or rehabilitation in the juvenile system. He was indicted on eight charges by the Lake County grand jury this summer.

As part of Petro’s plea five of the charges are being waived. One of the robbery charges Petro is pleading to has been reduced from the original charge of first-degree felony aggravated robbery.

He will be sentenced by Lake County Common Pleas Court Judge Richard L. Collins Nov. 29.

ANDREW CASS — THE NEWS-HERALD Michael Petro, left, a 17-year-old from Willowick, pleaded guilty Oct. 25 in Lake County Common Pleas Court to three charges stemming from a pair of robberies in the city. He faces up to 27 years in prison.