Waterloo teen convicted of beating elderly man

A Black Hawk County jury has found a 17-year-old guilty of beating an elderly man with a frying pan during a robbery attempt.

Jesse John Pearson, who was tried as an adult, was found guilty Friday of first-degree robbery, willful injury causing serious injury and going armed with intent. The verdict came after a day and a half of testimony and arguments in the case.

According to prosecutors, Pearson and another youth on July 14 gained entry to the home of 69-year-old Peter Weiss, who is developmentally disabled, by asking to use the telephone. As the second teen made a telephone, Pearson searched for something to steal and beat Weiss with a cast iron pan.

A sentencing date for Pearson faces up to 25 years in prison, was not set.

-- Associated Press