"I would like to apologize to the victims in my case," Hay said, also apologizing to his family and his children.
U.S. District Court Judge Thomas M. Rose accepted a plea agreement between assistant U.S. attorney Brent Tabacchi and defense attorney Thomas Anderson. Rose imposed a sentence of 94 months, but said Hay will get jail-time credit since his arrest, meaning Hay will spend about seven years in a federal penitentiary.
Rose also ordered Hay to pay restitution of $32,143, special assessments of $800, to undergo treatment and to serve three years on supervised release.
Both attorneys said Hay has a long history of mental health issues, drug abuse and that he quickly took responsibility for his actions after his arrest, all of which contributed to the agreed-upon sentencing range of 60-94 months.
Non-binding federal guidelines would have put Hay's sentencing between 130 and 162 months. Each count could have been punished with up to a 20-year sentence and a $250,000 fine.
Hay grew up with an alcoholic father and drug-addicted mother before being placed in foster homes, and that Hay lost his job in November 2013, Anderson said, adding that it is important for Hay to remain on his medication.
Anderson said Hay immediately admitted to the seven bank robberies and informed the FBI that he was the getaway driver in the December robbery of a Columbus-area bank.
A federal indictment said Hay robbed First Financial in Huber Heights on Jan. 10, a Chase Bank in Vandalia on Jan. 18, a Huntington Bank in Miami Twp. on Jan. 29 and a Chase Bank in Mason on Feb. 4.
The other banks prosecutors said he robbed were the Arlington Bank in Upper Arlington on Deb. 10, 2013, a PNC in Cincinnati on Dec. 28, a Chase Bank in Bexley on Jan. 7 and a Key Bank in Grove City on Feb. 1.
In each count, Hay handed a teller a note demanding money. At the Huntington Bank incident, the robber's note claimed he had a gun, though Anderson said Hay never had a weapon. In the Vandalia case, Rose said Hay stole $10,556.
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