Columbus man facing 25 years in prison for High Street armed robbery

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A 45-year-old man is facing at least 25 years in prison after he held two North High Street storefront employees at gunpoint and sprayed them with chemical mace in 2021.

A U.S. District Court convicted Kevin Daniels, 45, of interfering with interstate commerce by robbery, use of a firearm in a crime of violence and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, according to U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Kenneth Parker. Daniels had first been indicted in December 2021.

During the case, Parker said prosecutors explained that Daniels entered a phone store on North High Street at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 26, 2021, and held two employees at gunpoint. He demanded they give him the phones in the safe and any cash in the store. The employees gave Daniels two bags of phones and cash before he sprayed them with chemical mace, temporarily blinding them.

Daniels then ran out through the store's back door and drove away, Parker said. After the employees called 911, police identified Daniels' car and arrested him after a high-speed chase.

Parker said Daniels has a prior federal firearms conviction which means he faces a sentence of at least 25 years. He will be sentenced after the court conducts a pre-sentencing investigation.