Teens in trouble: 3 recent gun cases could end up in adult court

Three cases in the area in the past two weeks involve charges against teenagers that may have several juveniles being tried in adult court.

The cases include defendants from Clark, Butler and Montgomery counties. All involved are teenagers — some of them 16- and 17-year-olds facing felony charges with gun specifications, crimes that qualify to be bound over to adult court in Ohio.

-The latest occurred Monday afternoon when police said a 17-year-old Dayton male robbed a Miamisburg Shell station near Ohio 725 and Interstate 75.

RELATED: Judge: Teen robbery suspect ‘lucky’ police officer didn’t kill him

Montgomery County Juvenile Court Judge Anthony Capizzi said the teen is accused of firing at a police officer while seeking to escape the area.

Police said an off-duty Miami Twp. officer shot the suspect after the teen refused to drop his weapon. The teen is accused of aggravated robbery with a gun specification. The prosecution said it plans to seek more charges and seek a transfer to adult court.

Capizzi said he would file a denial on the aggravated robbery charge. The case is set to be back in court Feb. 20.

RELATED: 17-year-old robbery suspect shot by off-duty officer in Miamisburg

-A standout Springfield High School football player was one of seven teens arrested Feb. 1 in connection to the robbery of the AT&T store on Old Troy Pike, where more than $45,000 in merchandise was taken.

A judge on Monday entered a not guilty plea for Caleb W. Johnson, 18, but Johnson admitted to police a role in the robbery, court records show.

A bond of $50,000 was set for the Trotwood-Madison High School transfer student, who is charged with aggravated robbery, two counts of failure to comply with a police officer and a single count of improperly handling a firearm in a vehicle, according to Montgomery County Municipal Court records.

The six juveniles accused in the armed robbery and manhunt that followed appeared Friday. Half of them have felony juvenile records. Four are from Dayton – aged 15, 16, 16 and 17 – and two are from Trotwood – aged 15 and 16, according to records.

RELATED: 7 teens charged in Huber Heights cell phone store robbery

Capizzi said transfers to adult court are a possibility.

-Two Butler County juveniles face charges involving the Jan. 30 fatal shooting of an 18-year-old Ross High School student Austin Hensley. The suspects, both 17-year-old Ross male students, face different charges.

Hensley’s death has been ruled a homicide. Three firearms, live and spent ammunition and drug paraphernalia were found at a Hine Road resident in Ross Twp. after he was fatally shot in the head in what sheriff’s deputies say was a robbery gone bad.

One juvenile is charged with murder, aggravated robbery and tampering with evidence. Another teen is also facing a theft of firearm charge, according to deputies.

RELATED: Ross High School student died of shot to head

Detectives said Hensley was lured to the house through social media on a ruse to trade guns, but the intent all along was to rob him. An altercation ensued and Hensley was shot.

The sheriff said the teen charged with murder had a previous criminal history and was charged with making terroristic threats in the past, stating he had a bomb in his locker.

In the case of the alleged shooter, it is a mandatory bind over to adult court if probable cause is found. Both are in juvenile detention.

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