Duo receives prison time for botched Austintown robbery

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Two of four men involved in a botched robbery in Austintown will spend at least six months in prison after their sentencing Tuesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Judge Lou A. D’Apolito sentenced Willie Duck III, 19, of Fairgreen Avenue and Junior Blair, 20, of Cleveland Street to four years in prison with the possibility of judicial release after six months.

The duo pleaded guilty to robbery, burglary, tampering with evidence and grand theft for their role in the August 2016 break-in.

Blair, Duck and two co-defendants tried to use a driver’s license to break into an apartment, attorneys said. When the person inside banged on the door, they ran, leaving the driver’s license behind.

They returned to get the driver’s license and entered the apartment, at which time they were arrested.

“This may be one of the dumbest attempts at robbing someone I have ever seen,” Judge D’Apolito told the defendants. “It’s just absolute foolishness.”

Duck and Blair both apologized for their actions.

“I disappointed a lot of people in my family,” Blair said. “I was supposed to be a football player, but I’m doing this now.”

Judge D’Apolito encouraged both Duck and Blair to become better citizens so their families don’t go through this again in the future.

Neither man has any prior convictions.

Two other men involved, Hector Colon, 20, of Glenwood Avenue, and Treel Thomas, 19, of Humboldt Avenue, received probation on charges of tampering with evidence and possession of criminal tools.