Youngstown man who robbed Boardman resident gets plea deal

By John W. Goodwin Jr.

A sentence will be imposed after a pre-sentencing investigation is conducted.

YOUNGSTOWN — A city man convicted of robbing a Boardman Township resident of a debit card will soon learn how much time he will spend in prison.

Terrance B. Robinson Jr., 18, of Coronado Avenue, reached a plea agreement Monday in the courtroom of Judge Maureen Sweeney, Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, on a charge of aggravated robbery with firearm specifications.

Robinson agreed to plead guilty to the aggravated-robbery charge, but prosecutors have agreed to amend the gun specification from a mandatory three-year sentence to a mandatory one-year sentence. Prosecutors also have agreed to allow the judge to impose sentence without their input or recommendations.

Judge Sweeney explained to Robinson that under the terms of the agreement, he could be facing anywhere from three to 10 years in prison on top of the one-year mandatory gun sentence. He could also face fines in addition to jail time and probation measures after being released from prison.

Judge Sweeney ordered a pre-sentencing investigation and said Robinson’s actual sentence will be decided when that investigation is completed. Such investigations can take days or a few weeks to complete.

Robinson has been confined to his home with a monitoring device, but the court has agreed to allow him to attend tutoring sessions in preparation for educational testing before he is sentenced.

Robinson was arrested Oct. 13 after an 18-year-old Hitchcock Road man told police he had pulled into his driveway, and another car pulled in behind him.

The man said he was then confronted by a man, later identified as Robinson, who pointed a gun at him, demanded money and took a debit card belonging to the victim’s mother.

Robinson left in his car but drove into a ditch. The victim followed to obtain a license-plate number.

Police located the car on Hillman Way and detained Robinson, who was arrested after the victim identified him.

Police said they found two handguns in Robinson’s vehicle and the debit card in his underwear.