Man sentenced to 10 years in 3 bank robberies in Ohio

LEBANON, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio man pleaded guilty to charges in three bank robberies in the state between 2016 and last year and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Mark Lunsford, 59, of Hamilton, was sentenced Monday in Warren County Common Pleas Court on three felony robbery charges. The judge also ordered him to pay back nearly $14,000 that authorities said was stolen in the robberies.

Lunsford used the same method each time in robbing the Peoples Bank locations in Franklin, Springboro and Carlisle, according to prosecutors. He would walk into the bank and present a note to a teller that said no one would be hurt if they turned over the money, authorities said.

Although he was caught on bank surveillance cameras each time, he could not immediately be identified from the footage, prosecutors said. Authorities eventually tracked him down by locating the vehicle he drove during the robberies. It contained clothing and a note similar to those given to the tellers at the banks.

A message seeking comment was left for his attorney.