On Friday, June 5, 2026, a federal jury in Cincinnati found James Lockridge guilty of seven federal robbery and firearms counts tied to a string of armed holdups at Marathon gas stations in February 2024. Prosecutors said the robber pointed a gun at clerks and fired shots inside multiple stores, putting both employees and customers in danger. Lockridge will be sentenced in federal court at a later date.
Three Marathon Stations Hit In February 2024
According to court records and local reporting, the robberies were reported on Feb. 5 and Feb. 10, 2024. Two incidents took place at a Marathon on Gilbert Avenue in Walnut Hills, and a third at a Marathon on Montgomery Road in Evanston. Investigators said the suspect wore masks during the holdups and used the same 9mm Ruger pistol in each case, as laid out in the indictment. FOX19 summarized the charges and the supporting court documents.
U.S. Attorney: Shots Fired, Lives Endangered
U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II told WLWT that Lockridge fired shots during each robbery, “endangering lives and terrorizing the workers and customers” at the gas stations. Prosecutors argued to jurors that the repeated use of the same firearm and disguises showed a dangerous pattern that warranted federal prosecution. The jury returned guilty verdicts on all seven counts on Friday.
What The Jury Decided
Jurors convicted Lockridge on seven federal counts. Those included three Hobbs Act robbery counts, three counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of possessing a firearm as a prohibited person, according to the indictment and trial evidence. Court filings state that officers recovered a firearm after Lockridge’s arrest that prosecutors said linked him to the robberies. Those filings and the indictment appear in the Southern District of Ohio docket records available via CaseMine.
How Police Say They Caught Him
Cincinnati police arrested Lockridge on Feb. 21, 2024, while investigating the third robbery. During that encounter, officers recovered a pistol and a glove that prosecutors said matched evidence from the other scenes. That seizure and the resulting federal indictment led to the trial that produced Friday’s verdict. FOX19 first reported key details from the indictment.
Local Context And Next Steps
The conviction is the latest federal case in the Cincinnati area targeting violent robberies involving firearms and convenience stores. Lockridge will be sentenced at a later date, WLWT reported, and he remains in custody until that hearing. For background on similar federal prosecutions and local sentences, see reporting on a violent crime spree and store owner killing.
