Two teen boys who allegedly bragged at a party about beating a man with a rock and robbing him in the Hill Section, then were caught on surveillance tape using the victim's credit cards to buy their friends food at McDonald's, were charged as adults with felony robbery.
After months of investigation, Scranton police arrested Jahsiah Laborde, 15, 202 Willow St., Dunmore, and Aquawn Rivera, 15, 429 14th Ave., Scranton, in connection with the Oct. 27 robbery and assault of Domenic Pagnanelli near Vine Street and North Webster Avenue.
The two, along with another male and a fourth acting as lookout, stole Mr. Pagnanelli's wallet, which contained credit and debit cards, police said.
In December, police spoke to witnesses who were at the party, where Mr. Laborde was bragging how he and Mr. Rivera had beaten up the man and how Mr. Rivera had hit the man in the head with a rock, police said.
After the party, witnesses told police the two boys walked with a group of people to McDonald's at 900 S. Washington Ave., where Mr. Laborde gave people the stolen credit cards and told them to order whatever they wanted, police said.
Judge Alyce Hailstone Farrell issued arrest warrants for both boys Wednesday, and they were arrested Thursday.
Both were charged with criminal conspiracy, robbery-threatening immediate serious bodily injury, receiving stolen property and theft by unlawful taking. Mr. Rivera also was charged with aggravated assault.
Mr. Rivera and Mr. Laborde were arraigned Thursday and are slated for preliminary hearings Jan. 25. They are being held at Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail each.
Contact the writer: ksullivan@timesshamrock.com, @ksullivanTT on Twitter