2 arrested in robbery of store

The Niles police chief credits his officers and those in Howland with solving the robbery.

By TIM YOVICH

VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF

NILES — Two 18-year-old Warren men are in custody, charged with robbing a Youngstown-Warren Road music outlet store.

Authorities said their car had been stopped by Howland police shortly before the robbery, and that traffic stop helped later in their capture.

Juawaun D. Wright, of Southwest Boulevard, and Dean J. Rogers, of Ferndale Avenue, were arraigned Thursday in municipal court. Each is charged with aggravated robbery with a gun specification.

Acting Judge Daniel Thomas set bond at $50,000 each and scheduled preliminary hearings for Wednesday.

Police said an arrest warrant has been issued for a 17-year-old Warren youth who was alleged to have been with the two during the Dec. 13 robbery of CD Warehouse.

“Howland did excellent police work as did Niles police in following up,” said Niles Police Chief Bruce Simeone.

City police said that Howland police had made a traffic stop Dec. 13 of a green Ford car at state Route 46 and Old Orchard Drive hours before the robbery.

During the 8:45 p.m. heist at the store, two men — one brandishing a gun, the other a knife — walked into the store and demanded cash. They fled in a car matching the description of the vehicle stopped earlier by Howland police.

City police had broadcast the description of the robbers. Howland police recalled the earlier stop, and those in the car matched the description of the robbers.

The car was found empty in Warren at Main and Fulton streets. Evidence was collected by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.

Wright and Rogers were arrested Wednesday at their homes by the U.S. Marshals Task Force, police said, noting the weapons and money were not found.