By Sharon Turco
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Watkins

Gray

Two men accused of kidnapping and robbing Cincinnati Councilman David Pepper in October - then attempting a similar crime on a second victim - will spend at least four years in prison.

Michael Gray, 21, of Westwood, and Michael Watkins, 18, of College Hill, pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated robbery in exchange for a sentence of four to eight years in prison, according to a plea agreement made Thursday in Hamilton County Court.

Mr. Watkins' agreement included a charge of robbery for stealing a woman's purse after Mr. Gray had been arrested.

Dropped as part of the plea were two counts of robbery, kidnapping and attempted kidnapping.

The victims agreed to the terms of the plea, but Mr. Pepper said he looks at the crime not as single incident, but as the bigger picture of crime issues in the city.

"If it has shown me anything, it is what it's like to be the victim," said Mr. Pepper, "the same kind of victim who comes to City Hall saying they have been the victim of a crime a lot worse than what I went through and want to know what's being done."

Even before his harrowing experience, Mr. Pepper was part of a coalition of conservatives on City Council who voted to hire 75 additional officers and toughen laws from panhandling to prostitution.

The robbery heightened his resolve, he said.

"This has always been a safe city," Mr. Pepper said. "Maybe it's a luxury we've taken for granted. We have to put more effort into maintaining and keeping that reputation."

He plans to devote energy to the Safe and Clean Neighborhood Fund, in which City Council has set aside $2 million over the next two years to provide matching capital to residents trying to clean up their neighborhoods.

Mr. Gray and Mr. Watkins confronted the city councilman outside his Mount Adams home at dusk Oct. 17, pointed a gun (later revealed to be a BB gun) and stole his wallet containing $75, according to police reports. Then they forced Mr. Pepper to drive them from ATM machine to ATM machine, extracting $400 from his accounts.

They struck again on Halloween in Mount Lookout, but Steven Rohde fought back and they fled.

Officers picked up Mr. Gray minutes later. In the meantime, Mr. Watkins snatched the purse of a woman in a driveway and ran off.

Mr. Gray and Mr. Watkins will be sentenced Jan. 31 before Common Pleas Court Judge Robert Kraft.

Mr. Pepper said he hopes the two will eventually become productive members of society. Mr. Gray and Mr. Watkins both have high school diplomas. Mr. Watkins has no prior criminal history and Mr. Gray has been convicted on a minor felony theft.

"I just want to say I am very, very sorry for what I did," Mr. Watkins said before Judge Kraft cut him off and said he will be given an opportunity to speak at the sentencing.

Hamilton County Assistant Prosecutor Richard Gibson said he was pleased with the agreement.

E-mail sturco@enquirer.com