3 plead guilty to robbing IHOP store employee in Boardman

YOUNGSTOWN — Three people convicted of robbing an IHOP restaurant employee in Boardman earlier this year could spend the next three years behind bars.

Bianca L. Santos, 20, of Boardman, Angel M. Cruz II, 23, of Boardman, and Dwayne Lamont Towsnend Jr., 22, of Youngstown, each appeared for a pretrial hearing today before Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, but ultimately entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors on reduced charges.

All three had been charged with one count of aggravated robbery with a firearm specification. If convicted on those charges, each of the three defendants could have been sentenced to as much as 13 years behind bars.

Martin Desmond, an assistant county prosecutor, and attorneys for the defendants made a joint recommendation of three years in prison.

Judge Krichbaum, however, is not obligated to adhere to that recommendation at the time of sentencing, which is set for Aug. 22.

For the complete story, read Tuesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com