YOUNGSTOWN — Two of the three juveniles arrested in the theft of a bicycle and backpack near Youngstown State University last October that led to the wrongful arrest of a YSU student were sentenced this week in Mahoning County Juvenile Court.

Judge Theresa Dellick gave Korrell Bush, 16, a suspended sentence in a secure facility run by the Ohio Department of Youth Services for six months to five years (until age 21) related to the bicycle theft. He is also ordered to make restitution for the backpack theft.

It was one of several cases for which Bush was sentenced, according to court records.

The sentence on the robbery “shall be suspended and held in abeyance,” documents state. Bush was credited for the time he already served in the Martin P. Joyce Juvenile Justice Center awaiting resolution of the case. He was arrested Oct. 14, 2019, but he was later released and placed on electronically monitored house arrest.

Bush also pleaded guilty to one count of felonious assault, which resulted in him being given a sentence of one to five years (until age 21) in a secure Youth Services facility. Because that sentence also was suspended, he is on probation. If he violates probation, it “may result in the imposition of the original sentence,” court documents state.

Bush also had multiple convictions for petty theft. The Vindicator was not able to obtain details on those offenses. He was ordered to serve 90 days in the Mahoning County Juvenile Justice Center on those offenses, but that punishment is also being held in abeyance.

He is ordered to pay $50, have no contact with five juvenile victims of his crimes and successfully complete a program offered by the court called Just Chillin’ and Teams Program. His electronically monitored house arrest ended after his sentencing hearing.

He is ordered to perform 50 hours of community service as restitution for the victim’s bicycle. He is also ordered to pay $60 plus court costs.

THREE ACCUSED

Bush was among three accused of stealing a bicycle from a man riding near the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County on Wick Avenue at about 7:30 p.m. Oct. 14. One of the boys threatened to shoot the victim if he didn’t give up the bicycle. The man gave it up, and the boys fled with it.

About two hours later, the boys approached YSU student Ezell Brown, 18, who was playing basketball alone at the Courtyard Apartments on the YSU campus. Brown and one of the boys started to play each other in basketball.

Then the boy on the bicycle yelled “Go, Go, Go,” grabbed Brown’s backpack from the ground, and all three fled. Brown chased them, catching one of them and telling him to help him get back his backpack, containing his wallet and cell phone.

Brown and two of the boys walked until YSU police came by, and Brown flagged them down. YSU police detained Brown, Bush and the third boy, Eddie Williams III, 14, to investigate.

Youngstown police arrived and took over the investigation, placing Bush, Williams and Brown into custody. Brown, the only one who was at least 18, was taken to the Mahoning County Adult Justice Center charged with aggravated robbery. Bush and Williams were taken to the juvenile justice center, also charged in the theft of the bicycle. Demetrius Foster, 15, got away.

FRUSTRATION

Brown’s mother, Michelle Ezell Brown, brought her son’s wrongful arrest to the public’s attention in a Facebook video that expressed frustration with what she believed was indifference by Youngstown police to her son’s innocence.

Youngstown Police Chief Robin Lees later said his detective discovered that Brown was innocent on his own, partly because Brown had no previous connection to the teens, who police knew from earlier incidents.

Surveillance video from the Courtyard Apartments later cleared Brown of being involved in the bike robbery, and the aggravated robbery charge against him was dismissed. Later, misdemeanor theft charges were filed against Bush and Williams alleging theft of Brown’s backpack.

Williams also was sentenced this week after pleading guilty to robbery in the bicycle theft. Judge Dellick sentenced him to a suspended term of one to five years (until age 21) in a secure Department of Youth Services facility but said his sentenced will be suspended and “held in abeyance.”

He also will be on probation, and violation of his probation could result in imposition of the original sentence, court documents say. He also was convicted of petty theft and sentenced to a suspended 90 day term of juvenile detention.

He also must complete a program, pay $50, and complete 20 hours of community service as restitution for the bicycle theft.

The guardians of the two boys are allowed to seek expungement of the record of their court proceedings.

Foster, whose cases in juvenile court are not yet complete, was not arrested until late November.

An arrest warrant was issued through juvenile court for him in September, when he was charged in a September felonious assault. He was also charged with other offenses from Nov. 25 — felony marijuana trafficking, misdemeanor obstructing official business and misdemeanor criminal trespassing.

Those charges originated from an incident on Stewart Avenue in which Foster was found in a detached garage after having been told to stay away because of an earlier incident. Foster fled and was arrested on Magnolia Avenue, where police found three small bags of marijuana in his pants pocket.

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