Plea offers made in attempted homicide in Monongahela
Two teenagers charged as adults in an attempted homicide in Monongahela were given plea offers from the prosecution Friday.
The offers would allow Christopher Matthew Urista, 17, of Washington, and Jamie Delmar Watkins, 15, of Donora, to avoid going to trial in Washington County Court on the attempted homicide charge, said Jason Walsh, deputy county district attorney.
The suspects didn’t indicate if they would accept the plea agreement when they appeared by video before Judge Gary Gilman.
“We’ll go to trial if they don’t,” Walsh said.
The teens were accused of assaulting Stephen Whatley in his Monongahela residence Dec. 7. Whatley was beaten that day with an aluminum baseball bat and home safe, and also robbed of a bag of marijuana and about $100.
They are being offered prison sentences of 4 to 8 years in exchange for pleading guilty to robbery, aggravated assault and conspiracy, Walsh said.
Urista and Watkins are being held in Washington County jail, each on $150,000 bond.