Teen pleads guilty to robbery in Washington Food Mart shooting
One of three teens accused of attempting to rob a Washington convenience store at gunpoint when a customer was shot pleaded guilty Wednesday and was sentenced to state prison time.
Christian Zavier Patrene appeared Wednesday in the Washington County Courthouse and pleaded guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to commit robbery and was immediately sentenced by President Judge Valarie Costanzo to serve 3 to 8 years incarceration.
Patrene, along with 19-year-old Christopher Ellis-Valperga and 17-year-old Julian Asbury, were accused of going into the Washington Food Mart at 701 W. Chestnut St. in the city’s West End with a gun and attempting to rob the store on Nov. 30.
But a customer playing skill games in the back pulled for her own gun when she was shot, according to court documents. Investigators accused Ellis-Valperga of being the person who fired the shots that seriously wounded the customer. The woman, who was not in court Wednesday and did not wish to give a victim impact statement, has since recovered from her injuries.
“I want to take accountability for my actions,” Patrene told Costanzo while pleading guilty to the one charge.
Patrene, who was wearing an orange jail suit and was shackled, was escorted out of the courtroom by sheriff’s deputies. Patrene, 19, of Washington, has been held at the Washington County jail without bond since his arrest about a week after the robbery attempt.
Ellis-Valperga, also of Washington, is still facing charges of attempted homicide, carrying a firearm without a license, receiving stolen property, reckless endangerment and two counts each of robbery and aggravated assault. He also appeared in court for a plea hearing Wednesday, but his defense attorney, Ryan Tutera, asked for a continuance so his client could review the plea offer from prosecutors. His next hearing date before Costanzo is scheduled for Aug. 3 at 1:30 p.m.
Asbury’s case was adjudicated through juvenile court due to his age, and the Washington teen is serving his sentence at a juvenile detention facility, according to Deputy District Attorney John Friedmann.