COLUMBUS, Ohio — A former Ohio State football player arrested for allegedly robbing a north Columbus bank is a suspect in multiple other bank robberies.
Franklin County Municipal Court documents say 25-year-old Marcus Williamson entered the First Merchant's Bank located at 5090 N. High St. on April 24.
Williamson approached the teller and gave them a note demanding money and that he was armed with a gun, documents say. The teller complied and gave Williamson an unspecified amount of cash.
During a court hearing on Friday, a Columbus Division of Police detective testified that Williamson is a suspect in at least eight other bank robberies.
The detective testified Williamson had a pattern — he would drive the same Jeep, wearing latex gloves and a mask and he would hand the teller a note saying he had a gun and he was demanding money. He testified that the police department had a search warrant for Williamson's Jeep and placed a GPS tracking device on it when police say they watched him walk out of the First Merchant's Bank with cash. Williamson was taken into custody moments later.
The detective testified the robberies in which Williamson is a suspect happened between March 7 and April 24.
Williamson has been charged with one count of aggravated robbery with more charges expected to be filed.
A judge set Williamson's bond at $50,000.
Williamson's arrest comes nearly two years after he was arrested and charged for kidnapping, robbing and carjacking a woman in Tennessee. The detective who testified in Columbus on Friday said he believes those charges were dropped because of mental incompetency.
Williamson, a Westerville native, played five seasons with the Buckeyes from 2017-2021. He played defensive back and was a part of four consecutive Big Ten championship teams and two teams that made it to the College Football Playoffs.
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