Cleveland Trio Charged For Armed Robbery

Three people from Cleveland were named in a seven-count indictment for their roles in an armed robbery, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Eric Gooch, age 22, Larnell A. Tripp, Jr., age 24, and Ashley N. White, were charged conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by robbery and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.  Gooch was also charged with two separate counts of armed bank robbery and possessing a firearm during the bank robberies. 

Specifically, the indictment alleges that from December 2012 to January 21, 2013, Eric Gooch, Larnell Tripp, Jr., and Ashley White conspired to rob Roses Discount Store in Cleveland, Ohio.  The indictment further alleges that on January 21, 2013, they entered and robbed the Roses Discount Store, and during the robbery, a firearm was brandished.  The indictment further alleges that on February 22, 2013, Eric Gooch robbed the PNC Bank located at 16614 Harvard Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio, and on March 13, 2013 Gooch robbed the PNC Bank located at 2771 South Moreland Boulevard, Cleveland, Ohio.  The indictment further alleges that a firearm was brandished during each bank robbery.

The indictment resulted from an investigation conducted by the City of Cleveland, Division of Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle M. Baeppler and M. Kendra Klump. 

If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to each case, including the defendants’ prior criminal records, if any, the defendants’ roles in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.