Elyria men to serve at least 12 years in prison for 2024 home invasion robbery

Two Elyria men who committed an armed home invasion at an Elyria apartment in December will spend up to the next 12 years in prison for the crime. Ramal Sitton and Johnny Rice, both 21, were each sentenced Wednesday by Lorain County Common Pleas Judge Christopher Rothgery to 12 to 15 years behind bars. The men pleaded guilty Oct. 15 to kidnapping, aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery, having weapons under disability and disrupting public service, all felonies with firearms specifications. Rothgery gave them each a minimum of six up to nine years on the aggravated burglary charges plus a mandatory, consecutive six years in prison on firearms specifications for using guns to commit the Dec. 17 crime. There is no possibility of early release for the first six years on the firearms specifications, and Ohio law says both men must serve the minimum 12 years or up to 15 years if they don't behave behind bars. Rice apologized at his sentencing "and was extremely remorseful from the beginning," attorney Jenifer Berki said of her client. "Being so young, I do not believe he understood the gravity of the situation," she said. "Twelve years is a long time, but he was facing over 40." Attorney Ian Crawford, who represented Sitton in court, said it was a "pretty clear lapse in judgment" by his client. Sitton was open and honest with Crawford, the attorney said, "very remorseful" and "recognizes how stupid a decision" it was for him to commit the robbery. Sitton also apologized to the victims and "hopefully that brings them some peace," Crawford said. "Obviously what he did was horribly immature," he said. Rice and Sitton were armed with a semi-automatic rifle and a handgun when they forced their way into an apartment in the 800 block of Rosewood Drive the evening of Dec. 17, 2024. A woman and a child were home at the time. The male resident called 911 after watching a security camera video feed that showed the two armed men in his apartment and physically assaulting the woman there. Police said Rice and Sitton went there to steal cash and property. The entire incident was captured on video, according to the Lorain County Prosecutor's Office. Responding Elyria police officers surrounded the apartment building, then broke down the door when it appeared the two men might harm the woman. Rice and Sitton were arrested without incident, police said. Both Rice and Sitton have prior felony convictions: Sitton has a weapons charge in Lorain County Common Pleas Court and Rice an escape in Stark County and an attempted felonious assault charge in Cuyahoga County, according to court records. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com.