Two boys are being held at a northern Butler County juvenile detention facility while awaiting hearings in connection with the reported strong-arm robbery of another boy in Butler, authorities said.

The defendants — both 17 — are charged in the suspected BB gun stickup Monday evening, according to Butler police. One teen is from East Brady and the other is from Fairview Township.

District Judge Lewis Stoughton arraigned the defendants on felony charges of robbery and conspiracy, and misdemeanor charges of terroristic threats and disorderly conduct. He set bond at $500,000 for each defendant.

Under state law, the defendants are charged as adults even though they are 17. They may petition Common Pleas Court to be prosecuted as juveniles.

This is an excerpt from a larger article that appeared in Friday's Butler Eagle. Subscribe online or in print to read the full article.