Teenager pleads guilty to armed robbery charges in incidents involving delivery drivers

In the plea deal, two other felony charges - conspiracy to commit armed robbery and attempted armed robbery - will be dismissed and the maximum sentence Judge David Swartz can impose on Howell will not exceed four years and three months in prison.

Howell appeared in court in street clothes, indicating that he is currently free on bond, which had been set at 10 percent of $15,000 at the time of his arrest.

He was soft-spoken and repeatedly said, “Yes, sir,” as Swartz asked Howell if he played a part in one armed robbery and one attempted armed robbery involving delivery drivers for a pizzeria and a Chinese restaurant.

Howell and Anthony Demario Hugan are accused of robbing a 38-year-old Ypsilanti man at gunpoint at a residence in the 1000 block of Bluestem Lane in Ann Arbor after placing an order with Bell’s Pizza on April 12. Five days later, in the 2000 block of Liberty Heights, the two teens allegedly called in an order to Happy Wok and attempted to rob Soon Gin, a delivery driver.

Gin testified in court during Hugan’s preliminary exam that he drove away from the area before the robbery could happen because he felt something was wrong when he got to the home.

“The Chinese delivery (driver) left before (Howell) could go through with it,” Washtenaw assistant prosecuting attorney Brenda Taylor told the judge Thursday.

Many details came out during Hugan's preliminary examination in May.

Howell’s sentencing has been set for Aug. 9 at 1:30 p.m., the same date and time scheduled for Hugan to appear before Swartz for a pretrial hearing.