Ron Welch
Muskingum County Prosecutor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Westerville Man Sentenced 10 Years for Fitness Center Burglary
(ZANESVILLE, OH)
On June 22, 2026, Liban Mohamed, 27, appeared in the Muskingum Court of Common Pleas to be sentenced for charges that stem from Mohamed trespassing into a fitness center, stealing credit cards from lockers, and fleeing the scene shortly thereafter.
Mohamed admitted guilt to the following: Burglary, four counts of Theft, Identity Fraud, Tampering with Evidence, and Possession of Cocaine; all felonies.
He appeared before Judge Gerald Anderson who sentenced Mohamed to ten years in prison.
Case Details:
Earlier this year the Zanesville Police Department was dispatched to a local fitness center in reference to a burglary.
Mohamed entered the center without checking in and went directly to the locker room. Approximately ten minutes later an employee observed Mohamed walking out of the locker room while arguing with a member of the fitness center.
The member pointed to Mohamed and informed employees that he was trying to steal from the lockers. A physical altercation between Mohamed and the member broke out in the locker room after Mohamed was confronted.
Two more victims informed officers that several credit cards were stolen from their gym bags.
While Zanesville Police Officers were taking the report, Dep. Evan Whyde with the Muskingum County Sheriff’s Office caught up with Mohamed as he was trying to leave town.
Mohamed was asked for his ID. He lied, informing the officer that his wallet was at home, and provided a fake date of birth. Mohamed then admitted to lying to the officer and provided his real name. The officer found that Mohamed had active warrants for his arrest in Franklin County where he had been placed on probation for the same type of offense.
Mohamed was arrested and taken into custody. During the booking process a dollar bill with a white substance, later confirmed as cocaine, was found on Mohamed.
Officers also learned that, after being placed on felony probation in Franklin County, Mohamed was granted “intervention in lieu of conviction” in Warren County for a drug offense.
“Intervention in lieu of conviction” is a process implemented by the Ohio Legislature which allows criminals to repeatedly attend counseling and have their felony charges dismissed, without regard for their prior criminal record.
Mohamed faces indictment in at least three other counties for similar crimes.
“He’ll be easy to locate,” according to Assistant Prosecutor John Litle who handled the case. “The public is unaware that organized criminal enterprises in Columbus and other urban areas are now operating solely based upon credit card and gun theft for profit.”
“The concept that organized regional car break-ins and locker thefts are part of a million-dollar criminal industry rather than the opportunistic acts of petty thieves is new to the public and law enforcement,” according to Litle.
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