A Morrow County man is headed to federal prison for more than 14 years after holding up the same Polaris-area bank twice in just over two months. James Travis Scurlock, 44, of Cardington, was sentenced to 171 months in jail on April 17, 2026, after confessing to robbing the Huntington Bank branch on Gemini Place in March and May 2025. Prosecutors said the two robberies netted him approximately $41,000 in cash.
WBNS reported that the judge imposed the 171-month sentence after reviewing the case with federal prosecutors at a hearing on Friday. According to the station, the punishment is consistent with the sentencing range indicated in Scurlock’s plea deal, which he agreed to last October when he pleaded guilty.
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According to a press release issued by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio, Scurlock robbed the Huntington Bank on Gemini Place on March 6 and May 16, 2025. Investigators say he strolled in impersonating a customer, then produced a firearm, told tellers to shove cash into his backpack, and fled. The document mentioned in the statement indicates that the March robbery resulted in the theft of approximately $13,700, while the May event resulted in the theft of approximately $27,700. The affidavit also outlines the statutory penalties for bank robbery and employing a handgun during a violent felony.
According to court documents, Scurlock submitted his guilty plea on October 8, 2025, according to a Rule 11(c)(1)(C) agreement that established a proposed sentencing range of 144 to 171 months and required him to surrender specified property and pay restitution. These specifics are detailed in papers available on GovInfo, which also contain the magistrate judge’s report recommending that the plea be accepted.
According to Leagle, Scurlock pleaded guilty to two counts of bank robbery and two counts of using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a violent crime, all of which carry mandatory minimum prison sentences and harsh federal consequences. In an order filed on December 19, 2025, District Judge James L. Graham accepted the plea and approved the magistrate judge’s recommendation, with the prosecution handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Noah R. Litton.
Local media have linked the case to a larger government crime campaign. According to 10TV, prosecutors viewed Scurlock’s case as part of Operation Take Back America. The Department of Justice describes Operation Take Back America as a nationwide initiative that focuses federal resources on cartels, transnational criminal organizations, and violent offenders, with work coordinated at the district level through task forces such as OCDETF and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
According to the case records, Scurlock will serve his sentence in federal jail, and the judgment contains forfeiture and restitution obligations in accordance with his plea deal. The robberies were investigated by the FBI’s Cincinnati Division, and the prosecution is part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s effort to keep dangerous offenders off central Ohio streets.
