Columbus teen to be sentenced April 1 in St. Marys Circle K shooting case

WAPAKONETA, Ohio A Columbus teenager charged in connection with an April shooting in St. Marys is scheduled to be sentenced April 1 after entering a plea agreement in Auglaize County Common Pleas Court.

Franklin Uceda Mercado, 18, was indicted by an Auglaize County grand jury in December on charges including felonious assault, tampering with evidence, carrying a concealed weapon, and theft.

During a court hearing on Jan. 29, Uceda Mercado agreed to plead guilty to felonious assault and an amended count of attempted carrying of a concealed weapon. Prosecutors dismissed the remaining charges as part of the agreement.

The case stems from an incident on April 26 at the Circle K on North Spruce Street in St. Marys. Police said an altercation between two groups led to a gun being fired, striking an unidentified male victim in the lower leg. The injury was reported as non life threatening.

Uceda Mercado was later taken into custody and initially held at a juvenile detention facility before being transferred to the Auglaize County jail.

A pre sentence investigation was ordered by the court ahead of sentencing.