Jobe being held separately from adult prisoners

Robert Jobe is shown in one of his earlier appearances before retired Lucas County Juvenile Court Judge James Ray. The judge ruled Monday that he will be tried as an adult.

The Blade/Lori King
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Robert Jobe is shown in one of his earlier appearances before retired Lucas County Juvenile Court Judge James Ray. The judge ruled Monday that he will be tried as an adult.

Robert Jobe will be tried as an adult in the fatal shooting of a Toledo police vice detective, but the 15-year-old won't be spending time with the adult inmates in the Lucas County jail.

And if he's convicted, he won't be with adult inmates in a state prison until he's 18 and maybe not until he's 21.

The North Toledoan was booked into the county jail Monday after retired Lucas County Juvenile Court Judge James Ray ruled that the youth should be tried as an adult for aggravated murder in the Feb. 21 death of Detective Keith Dressel.

"He's in with other juveniles. They cannot be mixed with the general population," said Ricco Staccone, the jail's assistant corrections administrator.

He said that policy is standard for the state and is for the juveniles' protection.

The Jobe youth is in a fourth-floor module with four cells and a day room with a TV. He is there with a 17-year-old charged in an aggravated robbery case.

"He's adjusting very well," Mr. Staccone said of the Jobe youth.

The teenager, who if convicted faces life in prison, is checked on every 30 minutes. He has access to a phone and his cell includes a bunk with mattress and linens, sink, toilet, and desk with stool. There are no windows, Mr. Staccone said.

Robert Jobe, 15, is housed in a special area in the Lucas County jail with four cells for juvenile prisoners. Currently, a 17-yearold is also incarcerated there, away from adult inmates.

He said the teenager has the same privileges as other inmates, such as working toward a GED diploma and recreation and library time.

But, he said, juvenile inmates must be scheduled for out-of-module activities at different times so they don't mix with adult inmates.

The teenager's approximately four-minute booking was similar to that of other inmates. He arrived at the booking desk with his hands cuffed behind his back. His shirt was untucked. He wasn't wearing the tie he had on in juvenile court.

He had to remove his shoes, answer questions, and be patted down by hand and with a wand. He put on a jail jumpsuit and was photographed and fingerprinted. A holding area in booking was cleared of adult inmates for him while he waited a short time to be taken upstairs, Mr. Staccone said.

The Jobe youth put two names on his visitation list: his mother and his brother. He had no visitors by yesterday afternoon. He can have contact visits with his attorney and clergy. Other visits are via video, set up 24 hours in advance, and are limited to a single 30-minute visit each week, Mr. Staccone said.

He said if the teenager is convicted, he will remain in the same module until he is moved to prison. That's been the jail's policy for the last 1 1/2 years. Before that, jail officials moved a juvenile inmate to the adult population once he or she was sentenced, Mr. Staccone said.

At the state level, the Jobe youth could go through the reception center in Orient, Ohio. If so, he would be separated from adult inmates while spending a brief period of time there, said JoEllen Lyons, spokesman for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.

The teen then would be held with other male juvenile inmates in a separate unit at Madison Correctional Institution in London, Ohio. Depending on his sentence, he would be there until he is at least 18 and possibly until he is 21. At 21, he would have to be moved to a different institution, Ms. Lyons said.

"They can be moved once they turn 18," she said. "It's a case-by-case basis. Right now, all are 17 and younger."

Youthful offenders are not housed with adult inmates for a variety of reasons, including security and programming needs.

"It's our mission to operate safe and secure facilities," Ms. Lyons said.

There are 92 offenders under 18 in ODRC institutions. Two, both 16, are from Lucas County. Their most serious convictions are for aggravated robbery and kidnapping.

Seventy-five offenders are age 17; 16 are 16 years old, and one is 15. The youngest is one of four convicted of involuntary manslaughter, according to the correction department.

Two youths, ages 16 and 17, are serving time for aggravated murder. Eight have murder convictions. There is one youth each for conviction of voluntary manslaughter, aggravated vehicular homicide, and reckless homicide.

Four have sentences ranging from a certain number of years to life for convictions for murder and aggravated murder.

When juvenile inmates are ready to be moved to an adult institution, an assessment is done to determine what security level and lockup would be best for them based on education and program needs, Ms. Lyons said.

Unless inmates have a GED when entering prison, she said, it's mandatory that they participate toward receiving one. At Madison Correctional, there is a partnership with a high school so inmates can receive their diploma.

Contact Christina Hall at:

chall@theblade.com

or 419-724-6007.