Bank robbery suspect has court appearance in Austintown

AUSTINTOWN — The suspect in the Dec. 5 robbery of the Huntington Bank along Mahoning Avenue appeared for his hearing today in the county area court.

Jonathan A. Spikes, 40, of Benita Avenue, Youngstown, did not enter a plea to his felony counts of aggravated robbery and robbery. He is in the Mahoning County jail on a $50,000 bond.

He is set for a preliminary hearing Wednesday.

Spikes reportedly slipped the Huntington teller a note that read, "This is a robbery. I have a gun." The teller emptied the till and Spikes fled on foot, according to police.

Investigators said Spikes has confessed to the robbery, saying he "owed a lot of people money."