One of the first teens to post bail under the state's new serious youth offender law is back in jail with a $25,000 bail increase.
Billy Rohwedder, 16, will remain in the Salt Lake County Jail unless his family can come up with the $2,500 (10 percent of the bail requirement) needed to meet his bail.At a Wednesday hearing, Salt Lake District Attorney Neal Gunnarson pushed for $100,000 bail - adding an additional $50,000 to Rohwedder's original bail amount in an attempt to keep him behind bars.
But, Rohwedder's attorney, Victor Lawrence, asked 3rd Circuit Judge L.A. Dever to reduce the $50,000 bail.
Dever reduced the bail to $25,000, noting some bail was needed to protect society from Rohwedder, who has a juvenile record nine pages long.
Lawrence said his "record does not show a violent criminal."
Rohwedder's mother, obviously upset, ran from the courtroom and told reporters the decision was "child abuse." Lawrence said the family had no other comment.
Rohwedder turned himself in to 3rd Circuit Judge Raymond Uno on Tuesday. He was immediately booked into jail for felony criminal mischief.
Rohwedder was one of four teens charged as a serious youth offender for allegedly trying to escape from Decker Lake on July 5. Under the new law, the boys were transferred to the adult criminal system.
His parents met his $50,000 bail by paying the required 10 percent - $5,000.
But while out on bail, Rohwedder was accused of drinking alcohol and then breaking his girlfriend's electronic monitoring device Nov. 11. She was on juvenile court probation at the time. The device had an estimated worth of $2,500.
Rohwedder was charged Nov. 29 with criminal mischief, a third-degree felony, and misdemeanor counts of possession of alcohol by a minor and criminal trespass.
A warrant was issued for Rohwedder's arrest last week when he was charged with the felony while awaiting a Dec. 19 sentencing for the Decker Lake incident.
Gunnarson said attempts to arrest Rohwedder were unsuccessful until contact was made with the boy Monday.
"I don't think he ever should have been released," Gunnarson said. "He's proved himself a predator."
Lawrence argued his client's record is not one of a violent criminal.
"He is treated as an adult in some form, but to the rest of the world he's just a kid," Lawrence said, noting Rohwedder was working and there had been no other incidents since he posted bail.
Although the serious youth offender law has put an additional workload on the district attorney's office, Gunnarson said he is pleased with the law.
He expects 100 cases will be filed in the first year since the new law was instituted - 30 have been filed since July.
"Serious crimes are a serious threat to society," Gunnarson said. "It's a good law."