In his role as the sullen, dough-faced teenage son of the television mob boss Tony Soprano,
Robert Iler worked from scripts that were packed with references to district attorneys, state
grand juries and criminal indictments.

Today, however, Mr. Iler's fictive persona as a budding young ne'er-do-well took a step into the
real world as a state grand jury in Manhattan charged him with second degree robbery in connection
with a mugging that took place on the Upper East Side last month.

Mr. Iler, who is 16, plays the listless Mafia scion Anthony Soprano Jr. on the HBO series "The
Sopranos." He was accused in the indictment of possessing marijuana and of stealing $40 from two
16-year-olds, Tiago Cordiero and Eduardo Weiss, on a York Avenue street corner on July 3.

The indictment also charged Alban Selimaj, also 16, with participating in the robbery. A third
defendant, Michael Cournede, 19, was accused of taking part in the mugging, as well as being
charged with possessing a box cutter in a public place.

The three boys could face up to 15 years in prison on the robbery charges, the Manhattan District
Attorney's office said today. Officials in the office added that a 15-year-old boy who was arrested in
connection with the incident would be dealt with in family court. Law enforcement officials have not
released the name of the 15-year-old because of his age.

The police said the robbery occurred shortly after midnight on July 3 outside a delicatessen on the
corner of York Avenue and East 74th Street. Mr. Iler and his friends surrounded their two victims --
a teenager visiting from Brazil and another who lives on East 68th Street, police investigators said.
According to the authorities, Mr. Cournede, said, "Give me your money." The other three echoed
the demand and repeated, "Do you want to die?" according to the police account.

Iler, who has pleaded not guilty, issued a brief statement saying, "I never would or did rob anyone in my life."
His lawyer, Michael Bachner, refused today to comment on thecase.