Man gets 5 years’ probation for robbery in Boardman

The defendant has no prior record, either adult or juvenile.

staff report

YOUNGSTOWN — A 19-year-old Cleveland man who was part of a three-man team that robbed the Boardman payday advance business Central Cash has been ordered to serve five years’ probation.

Ross Smith, an assistant Mahoning County prosecutor, recommended that Mark C. Watts get four years in prison for being the gunman who robbed the Market Street business Jan. 14.

But Judge Timothy E. Franken of common pleas court instead ordered probation, fined Watts $5,000, and ordered him to perform community service and get mental health counseling.

Smith said it appears that Judge Franken wanted to give Watts a second chance because Watts had no criminal record, either juvenile or adult.

If Watts violates probation, Judge Franken could send him to prison for eight years, Smith noted.

In the robbery, police said, Watts spoke to a Central Cash employee about a transaction, said he didn’t want any trouble and lifted his shirt to expose the butt of a gun before an employee gave him cash from the register.

The gun was later determined to be a B.B. gun, Smith said.

Watts has been in the Mahoning County jail seven months since his arrest, Smith said.

Noah Williams, 19, of Kent, accepted a plea in the case at the same time as Watts. He was the driver of the SUV used in the robbery.

The third man, Donte L. Cole, 23, of Cleveland, accepted a plea in the case for stashing the loot in the back of the vehicle when police stopped it after the robbery.

Cole was sentenced to two years’ probation, and Williams’ sentencing is upcoming.