Mich. man admits to 4 bank robberies

39-year-old: Past as a victim scarred him

7/12/2014

Radigan

A Michigan man who robbed four banks told a federal court judge Friday that he was once the victim of a robbery and the experience had traumatized him.

Jason Radigan, 39, of Farmington Hills pleaded guilty to four counts of bank robbery for three local hold-ups and one in Indiana. He faces up to 80 years in prison when he is sentenced Nov. 4 by U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey Helmick.

Before entering his pleas, Radigan was asked whether he ever suffered from any mental illnesses. He told Judge Helmick he’d been diagnosed with and treated for post-traumatic stress disorder about five years ago after being robbed.

“And you were traumatized by that?” Judge Helmick asked.

“Yes,” Radigan replied.

He admitted to robbing Charter One Bank, 5150 N. Summit St. on Jan. 30; Huntington National Bank, 5201 N. Summit St. on March 4; State Bank & Trust Co., 610 E. South Boundary St., Perrysburg on April 9, and Wells Fargo Bank in Angola, Ind., on April 1.

Ava Dustin, an assistant U.S. Attorney, told the court that in each instance he walked into the bank and gave the teller a note informing her, “This is a robbery.” He obtained $3,570 in each of the first two robberies, $3,447 in the Perrysburg robbery, and approximately $1,500 in the Angola hold-up, she said.

In the Jan. 30 hold-up, Ms. Dustin said the note demanded, “Give me $3,000. I have a gun.”

Donna Grill, attorney for Radigan, told the court her client did not agree with the statement that he claimed in the note to have a gun.

Radigan, who is being held in the Lucas County jail, was arrested in Colorado on April 12, three days after the Perrysburg robbery. Ms. Dustin said Colorado state troopers seized $2,086 in cash from Radigan’s vehicle — money she asked the court to order forfeited as part of restitution.

Judge Helmick explained to Radigan that he could face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count as well as an order to pay restitution to the banks.

Contact Jennifer Feehan at: jfeehan@theblade.com or 419-213-2134.