Staff report

NILES — A $500,000 bond was set for a Niles man accused of attempting to rob his former place of employment days prior.

No plea was entered for Damien Grafton, 25, who made an appearance in front of Judge Christopher Shaker for an aggravated robbery charge in Niles Municipal Court Thursday morning.

According to a police report, officers were called to Little Caesars on Youngstown Warren Road for an armed robbery, learning that Grafton had pointed a gun at the caller — the store’s manager — and fled in a white Ford Escape.

An officer spoke with the store manager, who reiterated that Grafton had pulled up to the drive-through window and pointed a gun at him, telling him to “empty out the drawer,” the report states, which he refused to do and instead said he was calling the cops.

Grafton then allegedly told the manager he would pull the trigger if he called police, driving south on Niles Cortland Road.

The report states the manager recalled Grafton from previous encounters, explaining that Grafton had previously worked at the restaurant and they had attended school together.

Officers checked several addresses for Grafton, but could not find him or his vehicle, issuing a warrant the next day and putting the vehicle’s information in the city’s FLOCK camera system.

The report does not state how Grafton was arrested, but an inmate search on the Trumbull County Sheriff’s website shows he has been in custody since Wednesday.

Grafton is set to appear back in court for a preliminary hearing Jan. 28, court records show.