Teen Charged With Over 100 Felonies
Central
Mar 13 2007 6:53AM
Andrew Riley faced 128 felony charges Tuesday that included theft, vandalism and intimidation, but he is no adult; he is a seventh grader.

Riley, 13, is accused of burglary, theft, stolen property and vandalism. It stems from a crime spree that the Athens County assistant prosecutor said lasted a year.

"He's so young, we need to try and get him rehabilitated through the system," said Assistant Prosecutor Keller Blackburn.

Blackburn said the Full Brooks Cafe was one of his many targets. Owner Miki Brooks said the restaurant has been robbed twice.

"It sort of took all the air out of me the first time," said Brooks. "The second time, I couldn't believe it."

His family did not deny he has been in trouble, but they said he could not commit so many crimes.

"Honestly, you know, we are baffled by all the charges," said stepfather James Blake. "We suspected a few could come out of this, but nothing like what's been going over."

The charges came after a fellow student went to police, then Riley allegedly beat up that student and now faces charges for intimidating a witness.

His stepfather said Riley had a rough childhood.

"He's our oldest, you know. He's our first born and he's been through a lot," said Blake.

Riley is in a juvenile detention center and his pretrial hearing is scheduled for later this month.

STORY CONTINUED

The charges, mostly felonies, against Andrew Riley include burglary, theft, vandalism and witness intimidation.


The multitude of charges filed recently against a Nelsonville teen has astonished prosecutors, some of whom have practiced law since before he was born.

Andrew Riley, 13, is charged with 128 felonies, in Athens County Juvenile Court. They include burglary, theft, vandalism and witness intimidation. The delinquency charges stem from a crime spree that has lasted more than a year, authorities said.

"In my 30 years of doing this, I’ve never had a juvenile that young with so many charges," Athens County Prosecutor C. David Warren said last night.

Nelsonville police, who continue to investigate the crime spree, have accused Riley of breaking into several homes and businesses, even stealing checks from elderly citizens, Warren said.

At least three other youths, one of them 10 years old, have been charged in the investigation, he said.

"It’s a multitude. This isn’t kid stuff. … He gave a severe beating to one of the witnesses who turned him in," Warren said.

"You’re getting into his violent nature. We either get him rehabilitated now in the juvenile system or we will be dealing with him for the rest of his life."

Riley is in a juvenile detention center; a pretrial hearing is scheduled for later this month.

Barely a teen, Riley is too young to be tried in an adult court. Even if convicted on all counts, he still likely would be freed from juvenile prison no later than when he turns 21, prosecutors said.

Despite the paperwork involved, Warren said he is proceeding with all of the cases, hoping to get some restitution for the victims.

"It is very difficult to explain to a victim whose business has been broken into to say we are going to charge on this but not on yours."

The FullBrooks Cafe, a popular Nelsonville coffee shop, was struck twice, WBNS-TV (Channel 10) reported.

"It sort of like took all the air out of me the first time, and the second time I couldn’t believe it," FullBrooks owner Miki Brooks told WBNS.

Even in a much larger city, the number of charges against Riley would be unusual.

Triple-digit felony counts "would be very high for Franklin County in my 14 years here," said Dennis Hogan, chief counsel for the Franklin County prosecutor’s juvenile division.

Reached at home, Hogan remembered some vandals charged with 50 to 60 counts as the highest he’s dealt with in

The charges, mostly felonies, against Andrew Riley include burglary, theft, vandalism and witness intimidation.


The multitude of charges filed recently against a Nelsonville teen has astonished prosecutors, some of whom have practiced law since before he was born.

Andrew Riley, 13, is charged with 128 felonies, in Athens County Juvenile Court. They include burglary, theft, vandalism and witness intimidation. The delinquency charges stem from a crime spree that has lasted more than a year, authorities said.

"In my 30 years of doing this, I’ve never had a juvenile that young with so many charges," Athens County Prosecutor C. David Warren said last night.

Nelsonville police, who continue to investigate the crime spree, have accused Riley of breaking into several homes and businesses, even stealing checks from elderly citizens, Warren said.

At least three other youths, one of them 10 years old, have been charged in the investigation, he said.

"It’s a multitude. This isn’t kid stuff. … He gave a severe beating to one of the witnesses who turned him in," Warren said.

"You’re getting into his violent nature. We either get him rehabilitated now in the juvenile system or we will be dealing with him for the rest of his life."

Riley is in a juvenile detention center; a pretrial hearing is scheduled for later this month.

Barely a teen, Riley is too young to be tried in an adult court. Even if convicted on all counts, he still likely would be freed from juvenile prison no later than when he turns 21, prosecutors said.

Despite the paperwork involved, Warren said he is proceeding with all of the cases, hoping to get some restitution for the victims.

"It is very difficult to explain to a victim whose business has been broken into to say we are going to charge on this but not on yours."

The FullBrooks Cafe, a popular Nelsonville coffee shop, was struck twice, WBNS-TV (Channel 10) reported.

"It sort of like took all the air out of me the first time, and the second time I couldn’t believe it," FullBrooks owner Miki Brooks told WBNS.

Even in a much larger city, the number of charges against Riley would be unusual.

Triple-digit felony counts "would be very high for Franklin County in my 14 years here," said Dennis Hogan, chief counsel for the Franklin County prosecutor’s juvenile division.

Reached at home, Hogan remembered some vandals charged with 50 to 60 counts as the highest he’s dealt with in Franklin County.
The little asshole better be glad he ain't mine

hmmmm, some places such as California, parents are financially responsible for the actions of thier offspring. Georgia....who knows? There is also an avenue of civil action that could be useful against the parents.

Little thugs do indeed grow up to be big thugs.

He'll go into juvi system until 21 and this kid soon to be man will be turned loose on society at age 21. I expect this won't be the last time we read or hear of little Andrew Riley. Likely it'll be a grainy security video of him robbing someplace or of him beating a 103 year old woman for the $30.00 in her purse.

Yeah, it's terrible when this happens, but I think that in many cases we can rehabilitate people like this instead of letting them turn into big thugs as you say, I can only hope that will work for him.

come on, gimme a break, the kid has racked up over 100 freakin felonies for crying out loud, you honestly think 7 years in juvi is gonna fix him forever?

Hyperion, statistically, the kid is going to be a lifer in the system and society will be paying for his upkeep until he dies of lung cancer in prison. At his age, all of his core values have been established and there is very little hope of him ever leading a productive life.

I dunno, you'd be suprised at what therapy is able to accomplish, and I never said I was sure at all, I said there is hope, I believe that most felons can be redeemed, and for the rest, well that's what we have the death penalty for.