Two 15-year-olds sentenced as adults after committing robbery by intimidation

CENTERVILLE — Two teens are facing prison time after a robbery earlier this year.

Kayden Teshawn Rivera and Yerimiyah O’Hara, both 15, pleaded guilty to Robbery by Intimidation on Dec. 8. They were charged and set to be tried as adults, according to the Houston County District Attorney’s Office.

The two were sentenced to 15 years, with the first 10 years to be served in state prison.

A media release said on May 7, the two approached a 13-year-old as he got off the school bus to go home. Both wore masks, and one showed a handgun while they took the victim’s cell phone.

The victim recognized one of their voices and told his grandmother about the robbery. She drove around the neighborhood looking for the suspects, and when she found them, O’Hara returned the stolen cell phone.

Several people witnessed the robbery, and multiple juveniles and their families reported it to police. The Centerville Police Department investigated the case.

The media release stated that, even though the defendants were juveniles at the time of the crime, they were charged and prosecuted as adults under Georgia law and pleaded guilty in Houston County Superior Court.

District Attorney Eric Edwards provided comments on the case: 

“This case is deeply troubling—not only because a child was robbed in broad daylight while getting off a school bus, but because the individuals responsible were themselves so young. No child in Houston County should have to fear being confronted with a firearm on the walk home from school.

“Georgia law requires that certain violent crimes be handled in Superior Court, regardless of a defendant’s age, and that is what occurred here. These defendants made the decision to use a gun to terrorize a younger child, and the consequences reflect the seriousness of that choice. At the same time, this outcome stands as a stark warning about how quickly youthful misconduct can become life-altering criminal behavior.

“I am grateful to the Centerville Police Department and to the community members who stepped forward to report what happened. This case underscores the importance of vigilance, accountability, and early intervention when young people begin heading down a dangerous path. Our priority remains protecting children and ensuring that our neighborhoods and school bus stops are safe.”