25 banks in 2 years: Dayton’s prolific robbery ‘crime family’ of the 1970s

Between 1973 and 1975, a string of bank robberies in the Dayton area and wider region was committed by a gang of criminals, many of whom were associated through marriage.

The “crime family” was responsible for at least 25 bank robberies involving about $370,000.

While many of the robberies attributed to the family took place in the Dayton area, authorities had also tied the gang to holdups in Fort Wayne and Muncie in Indiana, Columbus, and Florida.

The family used the same standard tactics over and over in their holdups, Robert Steinberg, an assistant U.S. attorney at the time, once told the Dayton Daily News.

“One or two guys would go in and case the place,” he said. “Then a holdup team of four would go in. They’d wear dark ski masks and gloves, all had guns.”

After ordering patrons and bank employees to lie on the floor, two of the three would go over the counter and empty cash drawers. Shots were fired in a number of incidents, but nobody was seriously hurt in any of the holdups.

They had a pattern of stealing pre-1966 General Motors cars for use as getaway vehicles. The cars were ditched shortly after each robbery.

Stories of arrests and courtroom trials were frequent headlines in the Dayton Daily News. Here are a few of the most notable accounts:

May 1, 1975

Three men held up Third National Bank on Salem Avenue in Dayton, leaving with an undetermined amount of money which was later recovered.

The men, wearing ski masks, entered the rear door of the bank. One held the customers at gunpoint and made everyone lie down on the floor while the other two went behind the tellers’ cages.

One robber fired a shot, hitting the ceiling, but no one was injured. There were about 15 customers inside the bank at the time.

The robbers left with a “bait bag” which later exploded, leaving the money and robbers stained with red dye. The suspects then ditched the bag of money and a gun in a nearby parking lot.

Oct. 15, 1975

Three of the alleged gang members were sentenced in U.S. District court in Dayton that month. They were caught when police intercepted a refrigerated meat truck used in a getaway after a robbery of the Miami County National Bank in West Milton.

Sentenced were:

• Larry Everett Shoupe, 27, 10 years for conspiracy and armed bank robbery

• Michael Peter Ezerski, 23, up to six years for armed bank robbery

• Sterling Walters, 27, 12 years for armed bank robbery

Judge Carl Weinman told the men they were “potential murderers,” and “part of a well organized bank robbery ring.”

At the time, Steinberg said more than a dozen people had been linked to the family. Federal investigators had them linked by marriage.

Weinman became so exasperated with the gang that he quit releasing them on 10 percent cash bonds. He claimed they were using stolen money to pay for bail.

Oct. 28, 1975

Two men associated with the “robbery ring” were sentenced in connection with the robbery of the Security National Bank of Springfield.

Terry Gene Seth, 21, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, and William John Willison, 24, was sentenced to nine years in prison.

Jan. 30, 1976

A year-long investigation by FBI agents resulted in indictments naming 22 people as members of the bank robbery ring.

Nine area men were listed as indicted conspirators, and 13 others were listed as unindicted members of the conspiracy.

The indictments alleged the conspirators planned and executed a series of 10 armed bank robberies in the Greater Dayton area in 1975 in which almost $200,000 was taken.

Indicted were: David Lee Brown, Terry Francis Gallagher, Clayton Colwell, James Adams III, Earl Deloy Ledbetter, Donald Edward Pitts, Kenneth Leon Hale, Harry J. Mabe and Robert Grimes.

Named as unindicted co-conspirators were: Peter Romie Harper, Steven Patrick Hall, Michael Peter Ezerski, Sterling Walters, William John Willison, Terry Eugene Seth, Thomas Lee Caulley, Richard Minehart, Sherry Minehart, Jack Zwilling, Annette Zwilling, Phillips Colwell and Larry Everett Shoupe.

April 21, 1976

In April of 1976, what promised “to be a spectacular trial,” began. Six members of the crime family who were implicated in the series of 25 bank robberies were having their day in court.

The highly publicized trial required the jury to be sequestered for the duration of the proceedings. It was the first time in local federal court history that a jury had been sequestered from the start of a trial.

Although there were no threats, the jurors were also being sequestered for security reasons.

One of the six defendants was Terry Francis Gallagher, 29, who was convicted previously for a Muncie, Indiana bank robbery.

Others to be tried were David Lee Brown, Clayton Colwell Jr., James Adam III, Donald Edward Pitts and Kenneth Leon Hale.

After this article published, Pitts’ attorney, citing the article, filed a motion asking for a change of venue, claiming the article created “an atmosphere of fear and intimidation” and “prejudice.”

May 27, 1976

Sentences ranging from five years to 135 years in prison were ordered for four defendants associated with the bank robbery conspiracy case.

The maximum prison sentence on any one bank robbery count was 25 years, but the judge ordered the sentences served consecutively, resulting in penalties of as much as 135 years.

Clayton Colwell Jr., 110 years. David Lee Brown, 80 years. Kenneth Leon Hale, 65 years. Donald Edward Pitts, five years.

Two other defendants were sentenced the day before. James Adams III, 135 years, and Terry Francs Gallagher, 80 years.

July 21, 1977

Terry Gallagher was serving a 95-year sentence for the Muncie, Indiana bank robbery and the killing of a police officer when it was reported that he and four other men had escaped from prison.

Gallagher was being held in Leavenworth, Kansas when he and four others kidnapped two men and escaped by hiding in a trash truck. The hostages were later released, and the escapees were caught.

List of bank robberies between November 1973 and August 1975

• November 1973: Farmers Bank, New Lebanon

• March 1974: A Tampa Fla. bank

• June 28, 1974: The Bellbrook Commercial Bank

• July 22, 1974: American Bank, Columbus

• Jan. 23, 1975: Third National Bank, Forest Park branch

• Jan. 31, 1975: Security National Bank, Medway

• Feb. 6, 1975: Fairfield National Bank, Lancaster

• March 4, 1975: Winters National Bank, Breitenstrater Square shopping center

• March 7, 1975: Merchant’s Bank, Muncie, Ind.

• March 22, 1975: National Bank, Eaton

• March 28, 1975: Miami County National Bank, West Milton