04-02-2025
Bank robber sentenced to Veterans Court in Youngstown
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — An 83-year-old Austintown man accused of robbing a township bank pleaded guilty Tuesday to a charge of robbery in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
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In exchange for his plea, Forrest Lytell was placed into the county's Veterans Court by Judge Anthony D'Apolito. If Lytell completes the programs offered by the court, the charge against him will be dropped.
Judge D'Apolito told Lytell while he wants to help him, he also has to look at his actions and how they affected other people, especially the bank employees who were working the day the bank was robbed.
'You are very fortunate you have a prosecutor and a defense attorney who are willing to work with you,' Judge D'Apolito said.
Judge D'Apolito told Lytell he wanted to know why he was in such dire straits that he felt he needed to rob a bank and find a way to fix that issue.
'We have a lot of work to do,' the judge said.
Reports said police answered a holdup alarm about 10:20 a.m. Nov 20 at a 4949 Mahoning Ave. bank where a teller said a man later identified as Lytell gave her a note saying, 'Give me all the money or else.'
The teller complied and slipped in some bills that had a tracking device, reports said. Reports said Lytell took the money and left out the front door.
Police were able to track the money to an address in the double-digit block of South Anderson Avenue, near a wooded area. Police went there and an officer spotted Lytell near the wooded area, where he was taken into custody.
Lytell told police the money was in a shed in a nearby yard, reports said. Police looked there and found the money, reports said.
When asked if had anything to say, reports said Lytell replied, 'How did you guys find me so fast?'
At his arraignment a few days later in Mahoning County Area Court in Austintown, Lytell told the judge he has been retired since 2001 and has only Social Security to live on. He told the judge he needed help.
He was able to post $13,000 bond after he was arraigned and has been free ever since. He was indicted Jan. 9 by a grand jury.
Lytell served in the United States Army for two years from 1961-63 followed by four years of service in the United States Navy.
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