Woman Sentenced In Casino Patron Robberies

Woman Sentenced In Casino Patron Robberies
Amy Hoover Testified Against Co-Defendants


CINCINNATI -- A woman who pleaded guilty to robbing Indiana casino winners was sentenced Wednesday.

Amy Hoover pleaded guilty in April to five counts of aggravated robbery. She and two men -- Kenyatta Erikins and Ugbe Ojile -- were arrested last year in connection with the robberies of at least 26 casino patrons.

In pleading guilty, Hoover agreed to testify against Erkins and Ojile. The two men were found guilty last week after a bench trial, and will be sentenced later this year.

Hoover was sentenced to three years in prison and given credit for 300 days already served. Upon her release, Hoover will be subject to five years of community control.

During her sentencing hearing, Judge Nadine Allen called Hoover's actions heroic for testifying against the other two suspects, including Erkins, who was her boyfriend and the father of a child that she delivered while in jail.

Allen said it would have been difficult to get convictions without Hoover's testimony.

"I consider you to be a hero, and I want to thank you for your testimony," Allen said. "There were people who were beaten and people who were bleeding and people who had stitches, and guns were used and no telling what can happen with guns, so you've probably saved lives."

It was also revealed in court that Hoover was assaulted in prison because of her testimony.

"I want to apologize for getting on the stand the first time and lying to you, and trying to protect someone who was horrifically horrible to me, and now that you've allowed me to sit down and realize how important my life is, and that I need to move on," Hoover said.

WLWT was the first to report on the robberies. The victims were all people who won money at riverboat casinos in Indiana. The victims were often robbed as they returned home.

Police set up a sting operation to make the arrests.

Assistant prosecutor Rick Gibson said Hoover played a minimal role in many of the robberies.