YOUNGSTOWN — Charges against Brandon Crump, the 18-year-old co-defendant in the Rowan Sweeney slaying case, have been bound over to a Mahoning County grand jury so that he can be tried as an adult.

A judgment entry from Judge Theresa Dellick of Mahoning County Juvenile Court states that because she found probable cause that Crump committed an aggravated robbery with a gun specification, and because Crump was 17 years old at the time, it was mandatory that Crump’s charge be transferred from juvenile court to Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Officials have not said how Crump’s alleged aggravated robbery is connected to the aggravated murder of Rowan, only that he and Kimonie D. Bryant, 24, who is indicted in Rowan’s killing, are co-defendants and that the aggravated robbery is connected to the shootings.

Mahoning County Prosecutor Paul Gains has said that authorities believe about $5,000 in cash was in the home at the time of the shootings, which took place about 2 a.m. on Sept. 21, 2020.

Crump is not charged with shooting anyone.

CRIME SCENE

Bryant, however, is indicted on aggravated murder in Rowan’s death and specifications that would make Bryant eligible for the death penalty if he is convicted. Bryant also is indicted in the attempted aggravated murder of Rowan’s mother, Alexis Schneider, 22, and three other adults who were in the home on Perry Street in Struthers where the shootings occurred.

Rowan lived in the home with his mother and her boyfriend, Yarnell Green, 30.

Bryant is accused of walking in the front door, shooting Andre McCoy, 20, in the head, then shooting Green when Green “jumped up” from the same couch on which McCoy was sitting and tried to flee.

Authorities said Schneider and Rowan were on a couch on the opposite wall from McCoy. Rowan was asleep, and his legs were on his mother’s lap. Police have said Rowan’s mother begged Bryant not to shoot the boy, but Bryant did, authorities said. The fourth adult who was shot is Cassandra Marsicola, 20.

After a March 3 hearing in juvenile court, Dellick set bond at $400,000 on Crump’s aggravated robbery charge and $50,000 on charges of felony escape and assault.

The escape and assault are charges connected to Crump and two other males allegedly overpowering a guard at the county’s juvenile justice center Nov. 15 and and climbing an outdoor fence. Crump did not make it off of the grounds, but the other two did. Both were were eventually caught.

JUDGMENT

Court officials had earlier indicated that the next hearing in Crump’s case would be Wednesday, but the hearing was moved up to March 3 without The Vindicator being notified.

Dellick’s judgment entry regarding Crump states that Crump’s “prior contact with the juvenile system has not been successful and there is not sufficient time to rehabilitate” him in the juvenile system.

The entry adds, “the safety of the community warrants that (Crump) be subject to all adult sanctions.”

Crump turned 18 Jan. 10 and was transferred to the adult Mahoning County jail the next day after a hearing in juvenile court. He is being held in the jail’s juvenile pod.

erunyan@tribtoday.com