YOUNGSTOWN — Akeem Brown has decided to roll the dice.

Brown, 26, of Shady Run Road, rejected a plea offer today that would have given him 18 years in prison for the July 15, 2016, shooting death of Anthony Bianco on the East Side.

If convicted after a trial that is set to begin Monday before Judge Maureen Sweeney, the maximum sentence is life in prison plus 17 years.

Brown said, however, he did not want to accept the offer from the prosecution, so the case will go trial Monday.

Under the offer, prosecutors would have amended a charge of aggravated murder to manslaughter and Brown would have pleaded guilty to that charge and a charge of aggravated robbery with a firearm specification.

Assistant Prosecutor Rob Andrews said the offer is now off the table because of Brown’s refusal.

Brown and Destaney Phillips, 22, both face charges of aggravated murder for the death of Bianco, who was found in a burning car at Seifert and Knapp avenues on the East Side.

Bianco had been shot while the car was running and it drifted into a stretch of high grass, which caught on fire after a time because the car continued to run. The blaze also engulfed the car.

Police said Bianco was lured to the area and killed over a debt he owed to the couple.

For the complete story, read Thursday's Vindicator and Vindy.com