COLUMBUS – The Buckeye Bandit, Ikechi W. Emeaghara, 27, of Columbus, has entered guilty pleas to eight counts of armed bank robbery. Emeaghara’s infamous heist spree has left law enforcement and the community on edge.
United States Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman; ATF Special Agent in Charge Trevor Velinor; FBI Cincinnati Field Office Special Agent in Charge Angela L. Byers; Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs; Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin; Delaware County Sheriff Russell L. Martin; Ohio State University Police Chief Craig Stone; Worthington Police Chief Jerry L. Strait, Jr.; Upper Arlington Police Chief Tracy Hahn and Gahanna Police Chief Dennis Murphy jointly announced the guilty pleas.
According to court documents, Emeaghara, armed with a weapon, robbed banks across Columbus on several dates:
- October 31, 2013 at the Wesbanco Bank on South Stygler Road in Gahanna
- November 30, 2013 at the Cooper State Bank on West 5th Avenue in Columbus
- December 6, 2013 at the Wesbanco Bank on South Stygler Road in Gahanna
- July 9, 2014 at the Smart Federal Credit Union on North High Street in Columbus
- January 12, 2015 at the Cooper State Bank on Sawmill Road in Columbus
- April 26, 2015 at the Cooper State Bank on Sawmill Road in Columbus
- March 17, 2016 at the First Merit Bank on East Powell Road in Powell
- October 21, 2016 at the Key Bank on Frantz Road in Columbus (original indictment)
The guilty pleas follow indictments by a federal grand jury in November and December 2016. Emeaghara faces up to 25 years in prison for each armed bank robbery charge. Forcing one or more persons to accompany him within the bank carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a possible maximum of 25 years.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by law enforcement, Deputy Criminal Chief Gary L. Spartis, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Salvador A. Dominguez for their efforts in prosecuting the case.
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Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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