Medina County Courthouse

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Man Changes Plea During Trial, Gets 10 Years in Prison

James Polanski, 26, of Quincy Court in Medina, pleaded no contest February 18 to one count of Aggravated Robbery, a first-degree felony and one count of Robbery, a second-degree felony. The charges carried two firearm specifications and one repeat violent offender specification.

Judge Christopher Collier sentenced Polanski to 10 years in prison.

He walked into the First Merit Bank on North Court Street in Medina at approximately 4 p.m. on April 8, 2008 and robbed a teller at gunpoint. Polanski wore a hooded sweatshirt and a rudely crafted face-mask.

The teller put money in a bag, along with a dye pack. As Polanski ran out of the bank, the dye pack exploded, leaving red dye on the sweatshirt, which he took off, along with the mask. Police were able to recover both the sweatshirt and the mask and DNA was recovered from both items.

The Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification was able to tie Polanski to the crime because he was previously convicted of aggravated robbery and felonious assault in 2004. Both of those charges also carried firearm specifications. Polanski served four years in prison for that offense.

A jury was seated and the trial was into its third day when Polanski entered his plea.

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