A Columbus man has been swept into the federal court system, charged with a series of armed robberies, including the theft of firearms from a gun store. WBNS reports that Dequan Keys, 30, already a convicted felon, was indicted on several counts related to seven robberies and one attempted robbery that he allegedly carried out over a span from January 12 to January 26.
The indictment reveals that Keys, defying his status as a felon barred from possessing a firearm, is accused of brandishing a gun in the course of several robberies targeting convenience stores and a Little Caesars Pizza outlet. Alongside Keys, Marwan Muhammad, 33, is also facing charges, being implicated in one of the robberies. ABC6 notes that the businesses, along with Vance Outdoors, from where handguns were stolen, were spread across Columbus and its surrounding areas.
The U.S. Attorney’s office highlighted Keys' role in the theft of handguns from Vance Outdoors, a federal firearms licensee, on two separate occasions, January 12 and January 17. The courts have yet to unfold the complete narrative of these crimes, but the gravity of the charges indicates a significant breach of both federal and local laws. As per records, Keys is currently in the custody of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections on unrelated charges, The Columbus Dispatch reported.
