MICHIGAN CITY — A junior on the Michigan City High School football team is in lock-up after allegedly attempting to rob Rios Mexican Grill at gunpoint earlier this month.

Michael C. Bradford, who turned 17 on Monday, entered a preliminary plea of not guilty during his initial hearing in La Porte Superior Court 1 on Tuesday. He is charged as an adult with attempted armed robbery as a Level 3 felony, which is punishable by 3-16 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Bradford’s defense attorney, Lonnie Randolph II, filed a motion to have the case transferred to juvenile court on the basis that Bradford was 16 on the day the incident occurred.

Randolph also says in his motion that in order for a minor’s case to be under the jurisdiction of the high felony court, a hearing must first be held during which the juvenile court waives jurisdiction – and no such hearing has occurred to the defense’s knowledge.

Judge Michael Bergerson took the defense motion for transfer under advisement Tuesday, as well as its motion for a bond reduction. However, he did not entertain the defense’s request that Bradford be released on pretrial supervision.

“This is a major felony,” Bergerson said. “He’s charged with carrying a … deadly weapon. I have no intentions whatsoever of releasing him on pretrial release until I get a bond investigation.”

Currently, Bradford’s bond is set at $25,000 cash, an amount Randolph calls “unreasonable” in his motion.

Bradford’s aunt submitted a letter to the court asking for her nephew to be released to the custody of his mother on his own recognizance, or on GPS monitoring, or on $1,000 bail.

“He’s a 16-year-old male who is a A/B student,” she writes in a letter dated Jan. 15.

“He has never been in any legal trouble in the past. He has excelled in football and was highlighted in the newspaper most of 2019 for his phenomenal sportsmanship. At Michigan City High School, he’s considered a peer model as he exhibits a model behavior. He attends Greater First Baptist Church and is very family-oriented.

“I understand there is a dark cloud over him right now as these allegations hang over his life. The purpose of this letter is to request some movement be made on his behalf considering his excellent history. … Michael is not a threat to society and has never inflicted any harm on anyone, nor is he a flight risk. Please find it in your heart to give this young man a chance to fight for his life from the outside.”

Bergerson ordered a bond investigation and scheduled Bradford to return for a bail reduction hearing on Jan. 28. He will rule on the motion to transfer at that time.

The omnibus hearing, or the date by which the state must turn over its discovery to the defense, is scheduled for March 12.

Michigan City Police responded to Rios, at 2715 Franklin St., around 8:15 p.m. on Jan. 9 after an employee reported that Bradford had attempted to rob her at gunpoint.

According to the police report, the girl said Bradford approached the restaurant window wearing black clothing and a black hat, but stayed to the left of the window out of sight. He allegedly put a gun in her face and demanded she give him “the pouch” – a black, zip-up bag containing the money from customer orders.

“[The employee] stated she told the male ‘no’ and then called the male by his name, Michael Bradford, at which point Michael ran south,” the report states.

She said she knew Bradford from school, and reportedly told police that only restaurant employees would know where the money is stored and that its container is called “the pouch.” She noted that Bradford is friends with another employee who works at the restaurant, who might have given him that information.

“[The employee] stated that Michael ran off without taking any money or any other property from Rios,” the report says. “[The employee] was able to find a photo of Michael on her Facebook and stated that she was positive it was him who came to the window.”

She also identified him in a BMV photo.

The restaurant manager was not present at the time of the incident, but told police he arrived moments afterward, and that he’d seen a black male wearing black clothing, a black hat and black mask running south along Franklin Street just before he arrived.

The restaurant owner told police he would provide them with video surveillance footage that might assist in the investigation.

Officers attempted to reach Bradford at his mother’s home on Sparrow Lane on Jan. 9, but she said he’d been out with a friend.

When they spoke to the friend at his Springland Avenue residence, the boy reportedly told them he’d last seen Bradford around 7 p.m. The boy’s father then ordered him to stop answering questions and shut the door, the police report states.

Bradford was officially charged five days later on Jan. 14.

Known locally for his role on the MCHS football team, Bradford started the 2019 season as quarterback and finished as a running back and occasional linebacker. His work on the field reportedly attracted some interest from college football programs.

In his personal statement on his recruiting profile on the Next College Student Athlete (NCSA) website, Bradford states, “I’m very dedicated to the game, I don’t think anybody wants it as bad I do. I strive for perfection so all I do is. I’m a leader, I want what’s best for the people around me just as well as I would myself.”

Michigan City Area Schools declined to comment on the pending criminal case against Bradford; and deputy prosecutor Mark Roule said he is prohibited by law from making out-of-court remarks regarding pending cases.

Bradford’s defense attorney did not immediately return a request for comment Tuesday.

By Brian Maass

DENVER (CBS4)– Clinton Goodchild, a former professional cricket player from Australia, now living in the Denver metro area, has been charged with felony theft.

Goodchild was accused by police and prosecutors of stealing approximately $23,000 in furniture and restaurant equipment from a LoDo restaurant space he had been subleasing.

Luke McConnell, an attorney representing Goodchild, told CBS4, ”Mr. Goodchild adamantly denies the allegation that a theft occurred, and as is always the case there are two sides to the story, but due to the pending criminal case no further comment can be made at this time.”

Court and police records obtained by CBS4 show that Denver police obtained an arrest warrant for Goodchild in April. The documents state that Goodchild had subleased the space near 18th and Blake from James Beckley and his son Spencer, beginning in August 2017 for $5,500 per month as part of a three year lease, but that Goodchild stopped paying rent on the property in December.

Three months later, Spencer Beckley said the building manager called him to say building surveillance cameras showed Goodchild removing equipment from the space and loading it into a pickup truck.

“The fact that he did that and thought he could walk away unscathed is shocking to me,” said Spencer Beckley.

CBS4 viewed the surveillance tape which showed Goodchild and a second man removing items large and small from the space. They are then seeing loading it into a pickup truck which eventually is driven away.

Beckley said the 2,300 square foot space was filled with pricey restaurant equipment like a convection oven, meat slicer, prep tables and a soda machine, but that Goodchild took it all. Beckley said he and his father owned all the equipment.

Goodchild was arrested and jailed in Denver in mid-April. He was released on a $5,000 personal recognizance bond. Police say Goodchild has no previous criminal record.

Although his attorney wouldn’t say much, Goodchild shared a lengthy statement with CBS4: “In regard to the allegations of wrong doing I look forward to the upcoming trial date where this matter will be cleared up, and the facts regarding the case shared. Until that time, I hope the American way of innocent until proven guilty is in full effect, as at no time was there any negative intent with the removal of property during the onsite Blake St renovations. I think its fair to say for me to enter the space in the middle of the day, use my active key card and remove, transport and safely store the larger heavy unneeded items in front of security cameras that I know are there (as some of them I arranged and paid to have installed) so that planned renovations could continue are not the actions of someone trying to steal property. The items hold no value to me and are currently taking up valuable storage space. Upon learning of the claims, the safe and itemized return of the items to the location has been refused by ownership after multiple attempts. While I am at times confused by many aspects of the current legal maze I find myself in, I have great faith that through the American justice system in the end the truth will be known, and my name will be quickly cleared. My history will show no past criminal behavior in my personal life, or business dealings of which there have been many over the years. I have always served as a positive and morally sound member of the community. I have come to love Denver as my adopted home and intend to be an active member of the community for many years to come.”

Spencer Beckley told CBS4, ”I just want him to be held accountable and stand trial.”

He said getting the equipment back would make it easier to re-rent the space, ”It would be a fantastic selling point to have that in the restaurant.”

It’s no mystery where the missing equipment is. James Beckley told CBS4 that Goodchild has offered to return the missing equipment and furniture.

“Yes, he has offered to do that,” said Beckley.

But Beckley said he was only interested “If he brings it back and puts the restaurant back together and pays back rent.”

Goodchild is due back in court in July.

CBS4 Investigator Brian Maass has been with the station more than 30 years uncovering waste, fraud and corruption. Follow him on Twitter @Briancbs4.