Johnson

The man arrested Thursday night after allegedly robbing the Citizens Bank in Marietta had robbed other area banks in the past.

William Edward “Billy White Shoes” Johnson, 55, last known address of Lancaster, was found at a motel in Parkersburg with the assistance of the Williamstown Police Department, the Wood County Sheriff’s Department, the Parkersburg Police Department and the West Virginia State Police.

Items stolen from Citizens Bank, along with a substantial portion of the stolen cash, were found in his possession and the black bag carried in the robbery was observed in his vehicle, Marietta Police said.

Marietta Police Capt. Aaron Nedeff said he was also found with Items directly tied to Citizens Bank.

On Thursday afternoon, a suspect entered the bank wearing a rubber mask, stuffed his hand in a large satchel he was carrying, then forced his way behind the counter and emptied the teller drawers. He fled on foot across Second Street and continued west toward Murphy’s Alley.

Marietta Police and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office responded.

A suspect was developed upon reviewing surveillance photos, video from around the area of the bank and through information sharing between Mid-Ohio Valley law enforcement agencies.

“Everybody worked together,” Nedeff said Friday. “West Virginia was able to work out where he was and we caught up with him last night.”

He said some intelligence came through that Johnson was in the area, and with his history, he quickly became a subject.

Nedeff noted Johnson matched the description of the subject from what they could see on the video.

Johnson was a suspect in a robbery of the same branch of the Citizens Bank on Jan. 16, 2002. He was convicted in a plea agreement in November 2002 for a robbery in Barlow, Marietta police said.

Nedeff noted Johnson robbed three Washington County banks in January 2002.

“He pleaded guilty to the one in Barlow. He was released to await sentencing and robbed one in Oak Hill,” he explained. “He got caught in West Virginia for that one.”

Nedeff said three years ago in October, he allegedly robbed the Williamstown Bank.

“It was the exact same thing. He wore an old man mask and walked into the bank,” he added.

The Wood County Grand Jury indicted Johnson in May 2019 for the robbery. He faced charges of bank robbery and use or presentation of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Johnson was wanted in Ohio for a parole violation, along with the October 2017 robbery of the Williamstown Bank, Marietta police said.

The investigation by Marietta Police, West Virginia law enforcement and the FBI will continue, including identifying any possible accomplices, Nedeff said

“This is a perfect example of how Mid-Ohio Valley law enforcement, by working together, got the robber identified and captured within seven hours,” he noted.

“We all had bits of information. Sharing resources and information really paid off for this.”

Michele Newbanks can be reached at mnewbanks@mariettatimes.com.