Former Ohio State defensive back charged with armed bank robbery
A former Ohio State University football defensive back has been charged with the armed robbery Wednesday of a Columbus bank, according to Franklin County Municipal Court records.
Marcus Williamson, 25, is accused of robbing a First Merchants Bank branch, located at 5090 N. High St., in the city's Sharon Heights neighborhood, around 10:40 a.m. Wednesday, Columbus police said.
Police allege in an affidavit filed in Franklin County Municipal Court that Williamson approached a teller at the bank and provided a note demanding money. The note indicated that Williamson had a firearm, court records say.
The teller complied with Williamson's demand note and gave him an undisclosed amount of money. Williamson then left the bank on foot, getting into a blue Jeep Compass, court records state.
Police officers observed Williamson commit the robbery and flee the scene, according to court records, and arrested him a short time later. Williamson had the cash from the bank in his possession at the time police arrested him, records state.
Williamson is scheduled to make his initial appearance Friday morning, court records state.
Williamson, a Westerville native, played as a defensive back for the Ohio State University Buckeyes football team between 2017 and 2021, making 68 tackles in 46 games.
Wednesday's arrest is not Williamson's first run-in with the law following his playing career.
In 2022, he was arrested in Shelby County, Tennessee, and accused of carjacking a woman and forcing her to withdraw money from an ATM at gunpoint. He was charged with two counts of aggravated robbery, one count of aggravated kidnapping and one count of tampering with evidence. The outcome of that case could not immediately be determined late Thursday afternoon.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Marcus Williamson ex Ohio State football star accused of bank robbery
