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Three juveniles also charged in Niles ‘Dragon Wagon’ fire, school break-ins
By Ed Runyan
NILES
Three juveniles also are now charged in connection with two break-ins and arson of the Niles McKinley High School “Dragon Wagon,” the building at the football stadium from which boosters sold merchandise.
All three were in Trumbull County Juvenile Court on Monday for an initial appearance. Court officials would not say whether they are being detained in the Juvenile Justice Center or provide any other details about their hearings.
Brandon Swiger, 16, of Niles; Zachary Robinson, 15, of Warren; and Desmond Behner, 17, of Warren were each charged with two counts of breaking and entering and one count of arson. Swiger and Robinson turned themselves in at the court. It’s not known how Behner got there.
Ricky A. Mohn, 19, of Lancer Court in Warren, also was charged with two counts of breaking and entering and one count of arson, as well as three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
He was arrested Friday, as first reported by The Vindicator, and was arraigned Monday in Niles Municipal Court. No plea was entered on the three felonies – arson and breaking and entering. Bond was set at $25,000.
Three misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of minors against Mohn were dismissed and were to be re-filed in juvenile court, according to Niles Municipal Court records.
Niles police said a lengthy investigation carried out by Niles school-resource officer Stephen Corll and Detective Jim Robbins with the help of the Niles schools produced the arrests.
The investigation revealed that the four males puportedly broke into an outbuilding at Niles Middle School on Brown Street on Aug. 18, then broke into the concession stand on the visitor’s side of the high school stadium and set the “Dragon Wagon” ablaze early Aug. 19, police said.
The fire destroyed about $5,000 worth of merchandise in the building and destroyed the building, valued at about $1,500.