Youngstown man charged with Austintown bank robbery

Staff report

AUSTINTOWN

Federal and local agents on Monday arrested the man suspected of robbing the Huntington Bank on Mahoning Avenue on Dec. 5.

Jonathan Spikes, 40, of Benita Avenue, Youngstown, faces felony counts of aggravated robbery and robbery.

Agents from the FBI and the Mahoning County Violent Crimes Task Force arrested Spikes Monday night and turned him over to Austintown police just before 11 p.m., according to a report.

Spikes is in the Mahoning County jail awaiting arraignment today in the county area court in Austintown.

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.

Austintown Detective Sgt. Jordan Yacovone said Tuesday Spikes never showed the gun during the robbery, only implied that he had one. He still is being charged for using a gun during the robbery, he said.

Yacovone said Spikes confessed to the robbery after his arrest Monday. He told investigators he “owed a lot of people money.”