ONTARIO – The man charged with an attempted robbery at the Ontario Directions Credit Union on West Fourth Street was responsible for three other recent ATM robberies in the area, Ontario police said Friday.
According to a press release from the Ontario Police Department, investigators have recovered evidence through search warrants linking John Rossi, 42, of Plymouth, to all four incidents.
“It is clear to us that the same suspect was involved in each incident,” according to Ontario police Chief Rodney Smith. “As we generally do not release this amount of detail, in this case with the amount of fear in the community that this person has created, we felt it was incumbent upon us to let the public know that the person responsible is off the streets and no longer a danger.”
Rossi pleaded not guilty to robbery Wednesday in Mansfield Municipal Court in relation to Tuesday’s incident at the Ontario Directions Credit Union. Bond was set at $100,000 by Magistrate Phil Naumoff. Rossi will be subject to electronic monitoring and will be barred from having contact with the victim if he posts bond. If convicted, he faces up to 8 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
Rossi also pleaded not guilty a second-degree misdemeanor charge of criminal damaging related to damage to a panic button in an interview room at the Ontario Police Department. He faces a maximum 90-day sentence and a fine up to $750 if found guilty on this charge. Naumoff set cash bond at $10,000 for the criminal damaging charge.
Rossi remains in the Richland County Jail and he has not been charged in the other three ATM robbery incidents.
On Monday, Jan. 9, a couple was robbed at the drive-up ATM at Mechanics Bank on Ashland Road. A woman was robbed Sunday, Jan. 8, at the ATM at Mechanics Bank on Park Avenue West in Ontario. A 16-year-old girl was robbed at Directions Credit Union on South Diamond Street on Saturday, Jan. 7.
Rossi is already facing charges in a neighboring county. According to Ashland County Common Pleas Court records, Ross is scheduled for a jury trial on Jan. 31 for charges of burglary, grand theft and two counts of having weapons under disability. Rossi allegedly broke into an Ashland home and stole four guns in October. He was indicted and arrested in November.
