More News on Teenage Thug Andrew Riley

The following was posted on Friday, May 25, 2007 in the Athens, Ohio newspaper about Andrew Riley.

I will keep looking for information on this future star of "America's Most Wanted."

The alleged accomplice and younger half-brother of Nelsonville teenager Andrew Riley admitted guilt today to charges related to Riley’s crimes.

Riley, 13, pleaded guilty in April to 23 counts of theft, burglary and other crimes in a case that received national media attention.

The alleged accomplice, 14-year-old Jeffrey Mehl of Nelsonville, admitted guilt to all but two counts against him in Athens County Juvenile Court, including theft of goods from a car, taking money from two businesses and receiving stolen property — all related to Riley’s crimes — as well as chronic truancy.

Mehl contested two counts of theft, for which another hearing will occur.

Miki Brooks, owner of FullBrooks Café in Nelsonville, where the teen admittedly stole money from a cash register, said Mehl needed to realize that real people were affected as a result of his actions.

Tracie Mcintosh, whose car Mehl broke into, told him there was still hope for him to change his ways.

Athens County Juvenile Court Judge Robert Stewart ended the proceedings before disposition, the sentencing process for juveniles.

Stewart also presided yesterday at a hearing in which Riley’s 12-year-old half brother admitted to receiving stolen property and was ordered to a diversion program.

The 12-year-old said he took $10 from Riley and Mehl in March of 2006 to “keep quiet” after learning the pair had robbed FullBrooks Café. One charge of felony vandalism and one charge of felony burglary were dropped in a plea bargain read by Athens County Assistant Prosecutor Keller Blackburn.

The proceedings took an interesting twist when the juvenile was asked to retell his story and it differed from the original account told to Blackburn and defense counsel Aaron Miller. Stewart issued a short recess, during which the parties agreed on a sequence of events.

By assigning the 12-year-old to a diversion program, Stewart declined to enter a finding of delinquency. If the juvenile does not successfully complete the diversion program, a finding of delinquency could be handed down at another date, Stewart said.

Blackburn protested to the ruling, citing that the 12-year-old had already gone through the diversion program in 2004 when charged with arson, but Stewart stood by his decision.

Blackburn also requested the juvenile pay restitution and write a letter of apology to FullBrooks Café, an order that mirrors Riley’s sentence. Stewart turned down both suggestions, citing that restitution should be sought from those directly involved in the crime.