Brandon Rosa sent to prison for attack on cab driver last year

YOUNGSTOWN — One of three people involved in the October robbery of a cab driver on the East Side who shot and wounded one of his attackers was sentenced today to six years in prison.

Visiting Judge Thomas Pokorny gave the sentence to Brandon Rosa, 20, who pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated robbery with a firearm specification.

The sentence and plea in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court came despite the fact Rosa had several other offers that would have included lesser prison or jail time if he cooperated with the state.

Rosa turned all those offers down and instead pleaded guilty.

Rosa, Drequan Abdullah, 18, and a juvenile were arrested after a cab driver told police he was called to an address in Rockford Village housing development on the East Side about 10:40 p.m. Oct. 5 by three males who wanted him to take them to a home on Rutledge Drive.

When they got there, one of them pulled a gun and demanded money, reports said.

The driver reached for the gun, and a shot went off, wounding Abdullah. He was treated at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital.

The other two cases are still pending.