Three robbery suspects arrested

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Police continue to investigate a series of armed robberies, predominantly at fast-food restaurants, after the arrest of one adult and two juvenile suspects on aggravated-robbery charges.

Detective Sgts. Tom Parry and Michael Lambert arrested Joseph S. Mascarella, 19, and two 16-year-old boys, Manny Zarlingo and Jayquan McMullen, at 6 p.m. Saturday at a house in the 500 block of West Midlothian Boulevard.

Police took Mascarella to the Mahoning County jail and the 16-year-olds to the county’s Martin P. Joyce Juvenile Justice Center.

Police said they recovered evidence linking the suspects to several robberies.

Mascarella remains jailed under $75,000 bond after his initial court appearance by video Monday before Judge Elizabeth Kobly of Youngstown Municipal Court. His preliminary hearing is set for 10:15 a.m. next Monday before Judge Kobly.

Detectives said they believed there was an urgent need to apprehend these suspects because they reportedly placed handguns to the heads of clerks and displayed a willingness to fire their weapons in the stores. One victim reported hearing a click and believed the gun misfired.

The daytime robberies included Subway, 830 E. Midlothian Boulevard, Thursday afternoon; Taco Bell, 3726 Market St., Oct. 12; Family Dollar, 2224 Market St., Oct. 8; and Burger King, 15 W. Midlothian Blvd., Sept. 30.

Mascarella was formally charged Monday only in the Family Dollar case.

The arrests occurred after police released a security-camera image of two of the suspects in a recent South Side robbery to generate leads. As a result, they received several Crime Stoppers tips from the public, they said.

Police are urging anyone with additional information to call 330-742-8911 or Crime Stoppers at 330-746-CLUE.