Gibson

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The man accused of a series of bank robberies in Ohio and Maryland entered pleas of guilty to the Ohio crimes Monday.

Charles Gibson, 57, of Pennsylvania, will be sentenced May 13 for robbing the Bridgeport Unified Bank on Nov. 24, then the Huntington Bank in St. Clairsville in mid-December. Belmont County Common Pleas Judge John Vavra noted that each crime is a felony of the second degree with a maximum sentence of eight years in prison.

Vavra added that Gibson’s prior record would also be a factor in sentencing.

“You could in theory be facing 16 years in the penitentiary,” Vavra said.

A pre-sentence investigation, victim impact statement, and Eastern Ohio Correction Center evaluation were ordered. A recommendation for restitution will be provided at the sentencing date.

In both Belmont County robberies, the suspect handed the teller a note demanding money. No weapon was shown during either incident.

According media reports from Pennsylvania, Gibson is the suspect in two Maryland bank robberies, at First United Bank in Friendsville, Maryland and the M&T Bank in Grantsville, Maryland. The Maryland robberies occurred after the Bridgeport crime, then the St. Clairsville bank robbery occurred.

The robber had been seen fleeing the St. Clairsville location, first on foot and then west on Interstate 70 by vehicle. Henry had said the car the suspect was driving had been reported stolen in Pennsylvania.

Henry said the suspect apparently abandoned the vehicle near Quaker City, and evidence recovered from the car and photographs from the robberies suggest the same person committed the Maryland and Bridgeport robberies.

Afterward, Gibson was the subject of a manhunt involving the FBI. He was arrested in February at a homeless shelter in California.

Flanagan said after he is sentenced on May 13, Gibson would likely be transported to Maryland to face his bank robbing charges there.