Elyria man pleads guilty to two armed robberies from October

An Elyria man charged with committing two robberies in the city in a 12-hour span in October has pleaded guilty to all charges. Antonio Cook, 20, of East Avenue, pleaded guilty Monday in Lorain County Common Pleas Court to one count each of aggravated robbery and kidnapping, with firearm specifications to both charges, and one count of theft, a misdemeanor, for the daytime robbery of a man behind the McDonald's on Broad Street in downtown Elyria on Oct. 7. He also pleaded guilty to one count each of aggravated robbery, a felony with firearm specifications, and theft, a misdemeanor, in a second armed robbery early on the morning of Oct. 8 at the TrueNorth gas station on Lorain Boulevard. Sentencing is March 12 in front of Judge Chris Cook, who is not related to Antonio Cook. The use of a gun in the crimes means mandatory prison time. Antonio Cook was being held on $200,000 bond in the Lorain County Jail awaiting sentencing. A trial had been scheduled in May. Antonio Cook's attorney, Anthony Rich, said he had no comment on his client's guilty plea. Antonio Cook's brother Jeremiah Cook, 21, also of East Avenue, was being held on $5,000 cash or surety bond in the jail. Jeremiah Cook faces a pretrial hearing March 16 on charges of aggravated robbery and kidnapping, both felonies with specifications, and a misdemeanor theft charge in the McDonald's robbery. In the McDonald's robbery, Elyria police said Jeremiah Cook lured a man behind the restaurant, where Antonio Cook pulled a gun on him and robbed him. The victim in that case walked to the Elyria Police Department at 18 West Ave., about 500 feet north of McDonald's, to report the robbery. The following morning, at about 3 a.m. Oct. 8, Elyria police officers responded to an armed robbery call at the TrueNorth Gas Station, 905 Lorain Blvd. Witnesses said a man wearing an all-black outfit and a black ski mask showed a handgun, took money from the cash register and ran away, according to Elyria police. Investigators quickly identified Jeremiah Cook, then Antonio Cook, as suspects in the robberies. Antonio Cook was arrested Oct. 9 at his grandmother's house and confessed to both robberies, according to Elyria police, who said the gun he used was found in the home along with the clothing he wore during the robbery and the money he stole. Jeremiah Cook was arrested a week later after a traffic stop in Lorain. Elyria police said he admitted to the McDonald's robbery but denied being part of the TrueNorth robbery.Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com.