A Toledo man who stole nearly $145,000 from area home improvement stores has been sentenced to prison.
Marvis Jones, 37, was transferred from the jail Tuesday to the courtroom of Wood County Common Pleas Judge Matt Reger.
He was indicted in March for robbery, a third-degree felony; burglary, a third-degree felony; three counts theft, all fifth-degree felonies; and failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer, a third-degree felony.
Reger said that Jones led police on a 15-mile chase with speeds in excess of 100 mph in a 70-mph zone. He ran numerous stop lights and stop signs, drove without headlights, drove left of center, and crashed into a marked patrol car.
“He did collide with a police car,” Wood County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Christopher Anderson said, but added Jones did not cause serious physical harm.
Since 2007, Jones has had numerous prior convictions, including multiple domestic violence charges, forgery, attempted escape, felonious assault and retail fraud, Reger said.
“Unfortunately, he does have mental health issues,” and has been using drugs, said defense attorney Justin Daler.
Perrysburg Township police began investigating Jones in 2020 by working with loss prevention from Lowes and Home Depot and maintaining constant updates on the vehicles he was using.
On Feb. 24, he used a teal minivan for five thefts in Michigan. Perrysburg Township police shared that description with all officers.
On Feb. 25, that same vehicle was seen fleeing the Perrysburg Lowes with no headlights.
Perrysburg Township police pursued the vehicle, which ended when Jones struck a township patrol car.
It was determined he had loaded $831 worth of merchandise into a cart and approached the front of the Lowes store where the doors had been secured because it was closing.
According to court documents, Jones pushed past an employee who was blocking the exit and forced open the doors.
Police reports indicate that he had entered the store Jan. 24 and took $1,598 worth of merchandise, on Sept. 21 $1,413 worth of merchandise and on Aug. 28 $903 worth of merchandise.
The total amount of thefts allegedly committed by Jones from Lowes stores in Ohio and Michigan is $143,185.
Reger imposed a sentence of 30 months for the burglary charge and 30 months for the failure to comply charge, to be served consecutively for a total of 60 months.
The robbery charge and theft charges were dismissed.
Jones will get credit for time served; he was arrested March 18 and taken to the Wood County jail.