Suspect in July crime spree in Dover, New Phila pleads guilty
NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) (March 8, 2022) – The Akron man facing 14 charges for stealing and abandoning multiple vehicles before turning himself into police has admitted to all of them.
37-year-old Ricky Moore had his jury trial canceled after pleading guilty to felonious assault, robbery, aggravated menacing, attempted abduction, and grand theft of a motor vehicle. He made the admission in Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court Tuesday morning, wiping tears from his eyes as Judge Michael Ernest listed the charges and potential penalties.
Moore will return to court to be sentenced for the crimes on April 24th. The prosecution has agreed to request a four-year prison term, although Ernest could have him locked up for longer or select an alternate punishment.
“In this case, community control is possible. I would caution though, or remind you at this point in time, for felonies of the second-degree there is a presumption of going to prison. It could be overcome, but there is a presumption.”
Moore racked up the charges within a couple of hours during a July 7th crime spree in Dover and New Philadelphia. One of the stolen vehicles was a box truck making a delivery at Walmart that Moore drove up I-77 to a gas station off the Faircrest Exit. He got out there and surrendered to Bolivar Police Chief Randy Haugh who spotted the truck and started following it.