MACON, Ga. — A Macon man pleaded guilty to several charges from crimes he committed as a teenager, according to District Attorney Anita Howard's office.
On August 29, 20-year-old Robert Ottoman pleaded guilty in Bibb Superior Court for crimes he committed while he was 15, 16, and 17 years old.
The first case happened on January 26 of 2019, when 15-year-old Ottoman and another person entered the Wendy's on Harrison Road and threatened to shoot customers if they didn't turn over their money, AirPods, and phones.
Then, on September 15 of 2019, 16-year-old Ottoman and several other people robbed the Dollar Tree on Eisenhower Parkway. When the manager tried to stop them, they pointed a gun at him. According to the release, the robbers' car was later found by the Bibb County Sheriff's Office.
When deputies tried to stop the car, a high speed chase began and ended in a crash. Two suspects were arrested after the crash, and the other two suspects ran away but were caught at a later time.
The third crime happened in April of 2021, when 17-year-old Ottoman shot and killed his brother in their house after a family argument. Taking into consideration the family's wishes, Ottoman entered his guilty plea for Voluntary Manslaughter and one count of Aggravated Assault.
Overall, Ottoman pleaded guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter, Aggravated Assault, and three counts of Robbery by Force. He received a total sentence of 40 years, with the first 20 years to be served in the penitentiary.
“These violent circumstances involving our youth are exactly what our R.I.S.E. (Restoring Inspiration by Success in Education) Initiative is aimed at preventing before they ever get started. One life was taken and multiple others were placed at risk because of this young man’s actions. These tragic occurrences must stop in our communities. My heart goes out to this family who lost one son to death and another to prison for a long time," said D.A. Howard.