A Cleveland man has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for a series of armed robberies that targeted a bank and several local businesses. Reginald J. Wimberly, Jr., 24, received the sentence from U.S. District Judge Bridget Meehan Brennan after pleading guilty in August to multiple charges, including four counts of Hobbs Act violations for interference with commerce by robbery, two counts of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of bank robbery.
Wimberly will also serve three years of supervised release following his imprisonment and must pay $1,426 in restitution. The sentence was handed down on December 4.
Court documents show that Wimberly entered several businesses in December 2022 while armed, threatening employees and demanding money. In one incident at Citizens Bank on Broadway Avenue on December 30, 2022, he presented a note to a teller stating: “GIVE ME 20K OR I’M SHOOT THE PERSON NEXT 2 ME.” During this robbery, Wimberly dropped his cellphone and was briefly trapped by security doors before escaping.
He later admitted to law enforcement that he committed all five robberies. The affected businesses included three Dollar General locations (Broadway Ave., East 116th St., St. Clair Ave.) on December 27, Family Dollar on Miles Ave. on December 28, and Citizens Bank on Broadway Ave. on December 30.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Cleveland Division along with the Cleveland Division of Police. Assistant United States Attorney Kristen Rolph prosecuted the case for the Northern District of Ohio.
