FBI: Columbus man tied to series of robberies captured in Mississippi

A Columbus man allegedly linked to a series of armed robberies in Georgia, Alabama and Florida that date back to January was arrested Monday afternoon during a traffic stop in Mississippi, FBI spokesman Kevin Rowson said.

John Arthur Morris, 47, faces one count of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution as well as multiple charges stemming from 11 armed robberies that Rowson said ended without injuries.

The FBI issued alerted the public Monday morning about the search for Morris, who is a convicted felon accused of robbing nine commercial establishments in Columbus, one in Alabama and one in Florida. Authorities said the business he targeted included restaurants, automotive stores and suppliers.

“On many occasions, Morris forced his victims at gunpoint to a back room or office and restrained them with zip ties and/or telephone cords,” the alert read. “On one occasion, at the restaurant robbery, he allegedly abducted the manager at gunpoint and forced her to drive Morris a few blocks away from the restaurant in her own vehicle.”

Morris was issued a felony warrant on July 11 stemming from a May 13 robbery of an unspecified automotive business in Columbus. The next day, he was issued another felony warrant related to the July 10 armed robbery of an automotive supply company in Phenix City.

On Aug. 14, he allegedly robbed another automotive supply store in Kissimmee, Fla. He was charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution and issued a federal arrest warrant on Thursday.

At the time, FBI agents believed that Morris may be have been headed to Florida with a woman in a white Ford Explorer. They offered a reward of up to $5,000 for his arrest.

This story was originally published August 23, 2016 at 12:48 PM with the headline "FBI: Columbus man tied to series of robberies captured in Mississippi."