Butler County Sheriff's Office

[Public Info Officer]

Robbery Suspects Nabbed, Linked to Other Area Robberies


Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones reports a knife-wielding robber in a hooded coat held up the Shell Gas Station/Mart at Liberty-Fairfield Road and State Route 4 in Liberty Township around 5 am this morning. After obtaining an undetermined amount of cash from the clerk, the robber got into a red Honda with a second suspect, and fled the area. Butler County Dispatch immediately put out a BOLO for the suspect vehicle and two suspects. A short time later, the vehicle was spotted in Trenton by Trenton Police, who stopped the vehicle and took the suspects into custody.

Donald Hicks, age 21, of Trenton, has been named as the robber who went inside the Shell station this morning. He has been charged through Area 2 Court by Sheriff’s Investigators with felony Aggravated Robbery. Jason Kontout, age 23, also of Trenton, has been charged with felony Complicity to Aggravated Robbery in this morning’s incident. They are currently held at the Butler County Jail.

The pair are prime suspects in at least ten (10) similar robbery incidents throughout Butler County over the last three weeks, as well as additional robberies in Hamilton and Warren Counties. Investigators from the Sheriff’s Office, Trenton PD, Middletown PD, Hamilton PD, West Chester Township PD, and a representative from Butler County Prosecutor Robin Piper’s Office are all meeting at the Sheriff’s Office this afternoon to discuss their various cases and how these suspects might be involved. It is anticipated that additional charges against the two will be forthcoming.



Prepared by: Det. Monte Mayer
Public Information Officer