Couple held in W.Va. in heist

Print Story

Email to Friend

Discuss this story

The mother of one of the
suspects was present during the arrest.

By LAURE CIOFFI

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

BECKLEY, W.Va. — In the end, Roger Dillon and Nicole Boyd made it only four hours from home before federal agents arrested the Youngstown couple accused of taking more than $7 million from a Liberty Township business.

On the run since Monday's heist, the couple was arrested early Saturday at a home outside Beckley, W.Va., by special agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The two suspects were in FBI custody Saturday night as they awaited hearings that would send them back to the federal court's jurisdiction in northern Ohio. It's unclear whether their charges will be handled in Youngstown or Cleveland.

FBI Special Agent Scott T. Wilson said there must be identity and removal hearings in West Virginia before the couple can be returned to Ohio.

Arrest warrants for both were issued Friday after agents learned of their location, Wilson said.

Dillon, 22, is charged with bank larceny, and Boyd, 24, is charged with aiding and abetting bank larceny.

The couple was identified earlier this week by the FBI in relation to the theft of more than $7 million in cash and checks from AT Systems, a national armored car company with offices in the Youngstown area.

Dillon worked for AT Systems in the Liberty office.

Authorities said the alarm at the Tibbetts-Wick Road business was disabled and two large safes containing checks and cash were cleaned out in the heist. Surveillance tapes were also missing.

Police said the alarms were set and the building locked by the person who took the money.

According to the FBI press release, a large sum of money, believed to have been taken from the Liberty heist, was found in the West Virginia home where Dillon and Boyd were arrested. They did not indicate how much money was found.

FBI agents said Dillon's mother, Sharon Lee Gregory, 48, of Youngstown, was also present when agents arrived.

Wilson did not know Saturday if Gregory was also in FBI custody.

He said Gregory faces no charges at this time, but they are still investigating the matter.

"We certainly have some questions for her since she was present for the arrest," he said.

Wilson also did not know the status of Dillon's younger brother, identified earlier this week only as a juvenile who may have been traveling with the couple.

The special agent said only that the youth was not present during the arrest.

The couple was arrested without incident, Wilson noted.

Wilson offered no information on what brought the couple to West Virginia or of any relationship to the residents living where they were arrested.

Authorities did not say specifically where the arrest occurred, only that the couple was found in a residence outside Beckley at 4:30 a.m. Saturday.

AT Systems was offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the theft.

Wilson said he did now know if anyone would be receiving the reward.

FBI agents are expected to release more details Monday.

cioffi@vindy.com

Sunday, December 2, 2007