CLEARFIELD – The second Clearfield juvenile who was accused in a robbery incident involving a gun and cough syrup in early July appeared for his preliminary hearing during centralized court Wednesday at the Clearfield County Jail.
The first Clearfield juvenile has been charged with robbery/threat immediate serious injury; robbery/take property from other-force; three counts each of terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person and simple assault; theft by unlawful taking; receiving stolen property; possession of firearm by minor; firearms not to be carried without a license; and intentional possession of a controlled substance.
The second Clearfield juvenile has been charged with conspiracy-robbery/threat immediate serious injury; conspiracy-robbery/take property from other-force; receiving stolen property; possession of firearm by minor; and intentional possession of a controlled substance.
Juvenile 1 waived all charges against him to the Court of Common Pleas for further disposition at his hearing in July. On Wednesday juvenile 2 waived all charges against him to court.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, at approximately 7:13 p.m. July 7, Clearfield Borough police were dispatched to the area of North Second and East Market streets for a report about juvenile 1 who had a 22 pistol and who was seen 20 minutes before that near the courthouse. The witness had observed him with the pistol in his pocket.
The victim arrived at the police station and reported that earlier in the day he was with two others, and they had met up with both juveniles. While with them, he heard juvenile 1 cocking a gun; also, he saw him holding it, and it was a small-caliber handgun, he told police.
He said that the gun had a laser sight, and juvenile 1 allegedly had it pointed at his chest. When he did this juvenile 1 allegedly demanded that he give him “all he’s got.”
At this point, the victim turned over his bag and gave it to juvenile 1. Juvenile 1 then threatened to shoot anyone who followed them, according to the affidavit.
The victim called his father and advised him of the incident, and he arrived to pick them up. The victim’s father located both juveniles near East Market and South Third streets, and told juvenile 1 to return the bag.
Juvenile 2 then removed the bag from juvenile 1 and returned it to the victim’s father. However, he allegedly removed a bottle of cough syrup from the bag before he returned it.
A witness of the incident corroborated the story of the victim in an interview with police.
On July 8 juvenile 1 told police he had received a text-message from the victim asking if they wanted to buy cough syrup. He had met up earlier in the day with juvenile 2 who was in possession of the gun but then had given it to him. Juvenile 1 claimed there was a deal arranged to buy cough syrup from the victim for $40.
According to juvenile 1, he went down behind Buck’s Pizza, Clearfield, with juvenile 2, the victim and two others. There, he said juvenile 2 tasted the cough syrup from the victim. Juvenile 1 admitted to having the gun and that he was playing with it. He also admitted to pointing the laser at the victim and asking for his personal items.
However, juvenile 1 claimed he was just “joking” and “was not serious.” He told police juvenile 2 took the bag and they left. Later on he said they were walking around when they were confronted by the victim’s father, at which time he returned the bag but had observed juvenile 2 removing the cough syrup from it.
During the police interview, juvenile 1 related that juvenile 2 had removed the gun from a vehicle. The gun, he said, was now at his apartment but when he heard police knock on his door earlier that morning, he gave it to his girlfriend.
A borough officer subsequently went to juvenile 1’s apartment and seized the gun. When police determined its owner and contacted him, they learned he was missing the gun. The gun had six bullets in the magazine prior to it being turned over to police.
On July 8 police also interviewed juvenile 2 who stated he’d received a Facebook message from juvenile 1. He met him and they went to Napa where they met others, and they all went behind Buck’s Pizza.
According to juvenile 2, their plan was to buy cough syrup for $40 from the victim. While walking he said that juvenile 1 told him they were going to rob the others, and he showed him the butt of his gun. Juvenile 2 said he told juvenile 1 he couldn’t do that because he was on probation and began to walk away.
He walked to the front of CVS Pharmacy on Bridge Street, where he met juvenile 1 again. They walked to the area of Express Café and were confronted by an older male. They were asked to return a bag.
Juvenile 2 said he removed the cough syrup with codeine and left the bag on the sidewalk. He then left the area with juvenile 1.
Police spoke with a female regarding the cough syrup. She related that it was in her name and filled last year. It was determined that it was a promethazine and codeine, a Schedule V controlled substance.