Teen Pleads Guilty To Rape In Cleveland Parking Garage

CLEVELAND — A teenager has pleaded guilty to raping a woman in a downtown Cleveland parking garage, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O'Malley announced. He also pleaded guilty to charges of robbery, burglary, theft and more.

Michael Hutchins, 18, pleaded guilty to a string of offenses which happened between October 2018 and February 2019. He will be sentenced March 16.

“This juvenile, through his lengthy violent record, has proven time and time again that he is incapable of being rehabilitated through the juvenile system. He is a violent crime-cyclone who has no regard for the law and anyone who comes into his path,” said O’Malley. “We will continue to fight for justice and support the victims as they move forward from these crimes.”

According to prosecutors, on October 9, 2018, Hutchins ran away from staff at the Cleveland Christian Home. Less than a month later, court documents said, Hutchins stole a laptop from a Cleveland State University student.

Then, on Feb. 14, 2019, at the 5th Street Arcade, Hutchins snatched a woman's cell phone from her purse and took off running. The woman chased after him and Hutchins threw her cell phone on the ground and escaped, prosecutors said.

Two hours after the incident at the 5th Street Arcade, prosecutors said, Hutchins walked into a gym on Prospect Avenue and stole a man's car keys.

After stealing the car keys, Hutchins walked into a nearby parking garage on Prospect. A woman walking to her car after work got into the same elevator as Hutchins. As she walked off the elevator, Hutchins attacked her, threatened to shoot her and then raped her, prosecutors said.

The woman tried to escape but Hutchins dragged her into a car, prosecutors said. Hutchins attempted to drive away but crashed the car into a wall of the parking garage. He then stole the woman's cellphone, credit card and cash. He said he would return and kill the woman if she called the police, prosecutors said.

Cleveland police took Hutchins into custody five days later. He was bound over from Juvenile Court on May 3.