Former Ohio State defensive back charged in a series of bank robberies

A former Ohio State University football defensive back was indicted on 23 counts Thursday for carrying out nine bank robberies, according to prosecutors.

Marcus Williamson, 25, who played for the Buckeyes from 2017 to 2021, was charged by a Franklin County grand jury with carrying out a string of heists between March 7 and April 24, according to a Columbus Dispatch report published Thursday.

Williamson was apprehended by police during the last reported heist at First Merchants Bank in North Columbus.

Police had suspected the former Ohio State standout in the prior robberies and obtained a court warrant to install a monitoring device on his vehicle, which led them to the bank.

Williamson used the same method for each robbery, delivering a note to the tellers and demanding $20, $50, and $100 dollars while implying that he was equipped with a gun, the Dispatch reported.

He is being held in Franklin County Jail on a $50,000 bond after being charged with 17 charges of robbery, six counts of felony theft, and one act of misdemeanor theft, according to the outlet.

According to the Buckeyes’ football website, the 5-foot-10 defensive end is from Westerville, Ohio, and is a graduate student at the school.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in history in December 2020 and spent five seasons with the football team, including a “super senior” season in 2021 owing to the pandemic shutdown.

Williams played 47 games in total and was a member of four consecutive Big Ten championship teams, finishing with 68 career tackles, four forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries.