LIBERTY – A Youngstown man will spend an indefinite amount of time in prison after being convicted in the April 15 shooting of a pizza delivery driver in Liberty Township.

Jermaine D. Stroughter Jr., 22, of Dickson Street, pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated robbery, felonious assault and kidnapping, each with firearm specifications.

Trumbull County Common Pleas Judge Ronald J. Rice determined that consecutive sentences were necessary because of the seriousness of the crime and to protect the public. He gave Stroughter a sentence totaling 18 years to 23 and 1/2 years in prison.

Defense attorney Heather Ninni noted that Stroughter just became the father of twins and the babies will be adults by the time he is released from prison.

According to assistant Prosecutor Charles Morrow, a pizza delivery driver was bringing a pie to an apparent bogus address when he was confronted by Stroughter and a co-defendant. The driver was robbed of money — but not of the pizza — and thrown into the assailants’ car. They then brought him out of the car and made him lay on the ground and before the assailants fled, the driver was shot in the back.

Stroughter told the judge he was sorry for what happened, but when questioned why he would shoot somebody, the defendant answered: “There were other issues, and I just shot him.”

The victim managed to drive back to the pizza shop and was taken to the hospital by another employee. He suffered non-life threatening injuries, but was not in court Thursday to deliver an impact statement.

Ninni said her client grew up in Columbus and moved to Youngstown and was surrounded by crime his whole life. She said Stroughter had been treated for mental health issues.

The co-defendant, Tre Vaughn Powell, 23, of Alameda Avenue, Youngstown, faces the same three felony charges as Stroughter.