Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man who pretended to be selling a car and pretended to be an online escort in order to rob victims at gunpoint was sentenced today in federal court to 264 months in prison.

Keith Jorel Hudson, 36, brandished a firearm during the robberies and shot and struck two victims.

According to court documents, on March 5, 2020, Hudson met up with a victim who had communicated with Hudson on Facebook Messenger regarding a post stating Hudson was selling a black Honda Accord. When the victim arrived at a meetup location on Spencer Court in Columbus, Hudson brandished a firearm and demanded the victim drop his wallet and keys.

The victim complied, and as Hudson reached to pick up the wallet, the victim grabbed his own keys and attempted to flee in his car. Hudson blocked the victim from entering his car, pistol whipped the victim, and shot him in the back of the neck. The round entered and exited the victim’s neck, leaving a flesh wound and shattering the victim’s car window.

The victim was able to flag down a Columbus police officer a short distance away and was transported to Grant Hospital.

On March 20, 2020, a second victim responded to an online advertisement of Hudson’s. This post was a dating advertisement on a personals webpage.

The second victim arrived at the Hickory Creek Apartments complex to meet a female and pay her for sexual activity. Instead, Hudson approached him and pointed a handgun at him, demanding cash from him.

The victim gave Hudson the $30 he had in his possession and began to leave. The victim attempted to take a picture of Hudson’s license plate when Hudson began shooting at the victim. The victim attempted to flee and Hudson pursued the victim in his vehicle. Hudson fired his gun again near the intersection of Schrock Road and Ambleside Drive and struck the victim in his hand. The gunfire also disabled the victim’s car.

Shortly thereafter, Hudson was located by Columbus Police officers and arrested.

Hudson is was charged in March 2020 and pleaded guilty in April 2021 to robbery and discharging a firearm during robbery.

Vipal J. Patel, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Roland H. Herndon, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Prichard is representing the United States in this case.