A city teen is being charged as an adult for his alleged role in a June 2024 robbery that left a man with skull fractures, spinal injuries and dentures embedded in his gums.

Dillan James Hufford, 16, was arraigned Wednesday by Magisterial District Judge Benjamin F. Jones on single felony counts of aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit robbery, as well as single misdemeanor counts of recklessly endangering another person, theft and simple assault. He remains free on $50,000 unsecured bail.

Hufford is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in front of Jones on Nov. 19.

The filing of adult charges against Hufford were delayed at the request of juvenile probation, Blair County District Attorney Peter Weeks stated in an email.

“He was being prosecuted for juvenile offenses and was in a secure juvenile center, so we let him finish that program and resolve his juvenile cases before filing these charges,” Weeks wrote.

The case stems from an incident on June 4, 2024, when Altoona officers were dispatched to a residence along the 1500 block of 16th Avenue for a report of an alleged robbery and assault. The victim told officers he was walking up 13th Avenue toward the Booker T. Washington basketball courts when he was allegedly accosted by a group of two females and four males, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

The group demanded the victim give them his belongings, but the victim ran and was struck in the head with “an object.” He told officers that was the last thing he truly remembered and, when he woke up, he was bleeding and his phone was gone, the police report states.

The victim was transported to UPMC Altoona for treatment. Officers spoke with hospital staff, who said the victim suffered “numerous” facial and skull fractures and pockets forming around his brain, among other issues. Nurses said the victim’s status would be upgraded to a “trauma,” and he was flown to Pittsburgh for more intensive treatment, the report states.

While at UPMC Altoona, police were notified that other officers encountered seven individuals at the Gospel Hill Park at 14th Street and 15th Avenue. Three juveniles were detained, one of whom was later identified as Hufford, while four individuals fled.

In an interview, Hufford told officers he was at Booker T. with two juveniles, an unknown individual, Tyler Ray Brown, 20, and Altoona resident Dylyn Evans, 20. Hufford said the group was drinking alcohol when they saw the victim and someone said to rob him. The group ran over but Hufford said he fell in the grass and passed out from the alcohol. When he woke up, Hufford said the victim was already on the ground and didn’t know who did what to him, the complaint states.

Brown and Evans were also charged in the incident and each face two felony counts of aggravated assault and single felony counts of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery, as well as single misdemeanor charges of simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and theft.

They remain incarcerated at the Blair County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail each. Their next scheduled court appearance is Jan. 27.