COLUMBUS, OH – The man behind the wheel during a brazen robbery that turned deadly at a local internet café has admitted his role in the horrific crime. Justice B. Stringer, 28, of Columbus, pleaded guilty today to multiple federal charges stemming from the January 20, 2019, murders at Players Paradise on East Broad Street.
Stringer’s plea includes an agreement with prosecutors for a 30-year prison sentence. He admitted to driving co-defendants to and from the Players Paradise robbery where security guard Joseph Arrington and his wife, Karen Arrington, were brutally murdered. Stringer faces two counts of robbery, two counts of aiding and abetting murder using a firearm, and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
The case, initially indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2019, reveals a pattern of violence targeting internet gaming businesses. Court documents detail a string of robberies, including a December 10, 2018, heist at Players Paradise where the crew made off with $30,000. Just weeks before the murders, on January 7, 2019, Stringer and his crew robbed Planet Jackpot on Alum Creek Drive, netting approximately $2,400.
This isn’t just a simple robbery gone wrong. The investigation, a joint effort by the ATF, FBI, and Columbus Police, paints a picture of calculated violence. The most chilling aspect of the case is the charge against Chris A. King, 27, who is accused of not only the Arrington murders but also the murder of a witness. King’s trial is slated to begin April 3.
“This guilty plea represents a significant step toward justice for the Arrington family and the community,” stated Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Cincinnati Division, Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant, and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF, all announced Stringer’s plea before U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson.
Four of the five defendants involved in the robberies have now pleaded guilty to federal crimes. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin W. Kelley and Elizabeth A. Geraghty are prosecuting the case. While Stringer’s 30-year sentence offers some closure, the shadow of the Arringtons’ murders and the upcoming trial of Chris A. King serve as a grim reminder of the violent underbelly lurking beneath the surface of Columbus.
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