Co-defendant pleads guilty in Urbana bank robbery

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One of the two co-defendants charged in a local bank robbery pleaded guilty to an amended charge Friday.

During a final pretrial conference, Michaela M. Anderson, 19, of Urbana, pleaded guilty to a fourth degree felony of attempted robbery. Charges of aggravated robbery, grand theft, receiving stolen property and possessing criminal tools were dismissed.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 18. Judge Nick Selvaggio said the attempted robbery charge carries a maximum 18-month prison sentence and $5,000 fine.

Anderson and co-defendant Ryan H. Seibert are charged in the March 5 robbery at Security National Bank, 828 Scioto St.

On that date, bank employees were reportedly approached by Seibert wearing a stocking over his face and demanding they turn over a bag they were carrying near the outside ATM. An employee threw the bag to the ground and Seibert retrieved the bag.

As part of the plea resolution, Anderson agreed to make statements about the incident and answer questions from Champaign County Prosecutor Kevin Talebi before the plea was accepted.

Anderson said on March 5 she drove Seibert near the bank and was the getaway driver following the crime. She said they fled to Columbus, West Virginia and Florida.

Anderson’s vehicle, which she agreed to forfeit to the Urbana Police Division as part of her plea, was left at an apartment complex in Springfield.

The co-defendants were taken into custody on Sept. 23. Prior to the arrests, Urbana police investigators spent hundreds of hours investigating the case including Urbana officers going to Florida twice to follow leads.

Seibert, 22, of Springfield, is charged with two fifth-degree felony theft charges and one count each of robbery, grand theft, receiving stolen property and a first-degree felony aggravated robbery charge.

The grand jury indictment contends Seibert’s two theft charges occurred on or about March 1, 2013, to March 31, 2013.

A court statement filed in the Champaign County Municipal Court states Seibert was a former teller at the bank who was fired for stealing funds. In March 2014, bank officials learned through audits and interviews that Seibert stole $3,208.84 while working there and deposited some of the stolen money into his own accounts.

After holding a hearing on Monday, the court was informed on Thursday that no plea resolution has been reached in Seibert’s case and the parties plan to proceed to trial. A jury trial for Seibert is scheduled to start on Dec. 15.

In addition to the information she shared with the court Friday, Anderson agreed to testify at Seibert’s trial as part of her plea.

Anderson
https://www.urbanacitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/36/2015/11/web1_Anderson1.jpgAnderson

Seibert
https://www.urbanacitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/36/2015/11/web1_Seibert1.jpgSeibert

By Nick Walton

[email protected]

Nick Walton can be reached at 937-652-1331 Ext. 1777 or on Twitter @UDCWalton.

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