A 17-year-old has admitted guilt in the shooting death of a Middletown man in October, according to the Journal-News.
Camron Pawlowski, who is being tried as an adult, was charged with murder, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, felonious assault and having weapons under disability. The charges also carry a specification of participating in a criminal gang at the time of the offense.
He is one of three people charged in the shooting death of Michael Stewart II, who was killed in his Ninth Avenue home.
On Tuesday, Pawlowski pleaded guilty to reduced charges of involuntary manslaughter, aggravated burglary and having weapons under disability. The plea also included a gun specification that adds a year to the sentence and a specification that he was participating in a gang, which could add an additional three years to the sentence.
Prosecutors say Pawlowski conspired with the co-defendants in the crime. He faces a maximum of 29 years in prison, and sentencing is set for March 24.
“Obviously, you are going to be going to prison,” Pater said.
Defense attorney Jeremy Evans said he will be writing a sentencing memorandum to the judge, noting he believesPawlowski is redeemable.
During a November 2019 hearing in juvenile court, Middletown detectives said Stewart, 35, was known to deal marijuana and was a member of the “All State” gang.
“We have two major gangs in Middletown that have been fighting for several years,” Detective Steve Winters said.
He said he has investigated several homicides tied to the gang violence. The rival Middletown gang is the Road Runners. Middletown detective Kristi Hughes testified about Pawlowski’s alleged involvement in that gang.
Cameron Kyles, 18, who police say is the shooter, was also in Pater’s courtroom Tuesday. It was determined another unrelated case in which Kyles is a defendant accused of gang activity and a drug charge will be transferred to Pater for litigation.
Kyles is scheduled to be back in court March 3, when a trial date may be set.
A 15-year-old boy, the third co-defendant, was indicted In December. The boy pleaded “true” to the charge of murder in Butler County Juvenile Court. Prosecutors requested the teen’s case be transferred to adult court, but in exchange for the plea, the case will remain in juvenile court and burglary and robbery charges were dismissed.
The teen is scheduled to be sentenced March 4.
Winters testified that through interviews police determined Pawlowski and Kyles had been in juvenile detention together and were planning the robbery incident. Pawlowski drove to Stewart’s residence and parked in the alley and the 15-year-old went inside to make sure Stewart’s friends were not with him, Winters said.
Then Kyles was given a gun by Pawlowski and went into the house, and four shots were fired, investigators said. Surveillance video in the house captured the shooter wearing distinctive clothing and walking toward Stewart with a gun, then taking items from Stewart’s body and the house, Winters said.
