Fugate, of Dayton, was convicted of bank robbery in 1999, attempted escape in 2000, and multiple burglaries. Those prior offenses qualified him to be charged as an armed career criminal when he was arrested for robbing the Kwik-n-Kold convenience store on Wyoming Street in 2009.
The pleas were entered Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice. The court will conduct a pre-sentence investigation and determine whether or not to accept the terms of the plea agreement.
Fugate was convicted of two burglaries in Dayton in the early 90s.
On July 21, 1999, Fugate entered the Fifth Third Bank branch inside the Kroger store at 1024 S. Smithville Road and held the bank manager at gunpoint until she opened the vault. He took more than $35,000 then fled through the store and fired a shot at a witness’ car in the parking lot. He took a plea deal in that case and was sentenced to nearly eight years in federal prison.
While there, Fugate and another inmate were convicted of attempted escape.
The most recent crime occurred at about 3:45 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009. Fugate entered the drive-thru of the Kwik-n-Kold, shooting and wounding 31-year-old employee Wayne Sparrow. He fled with less than $500 in cash.
A citizen reportedly followed Fugate and police surrounded a home at on Samuel Avenue where they believed the suspect was holed up before arresting Fugate on Drummer Street hours later.
Officers with the FBI Dayton Safe Streets Task Force recovered a 9mm firearm loaded with nine rounds of ammunition, the store’s cash register tray, a tip jar and approximately $168 from a residence to which Fugate fled following the robbery.
Fugate has been in custody in the Montgomery County Jail ever since.
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