Man receives prison time for attempted theft

SANDUSKY — A man accused of allegedly posing as a bank employee and stealing more than $15,000 from an elderly person was recently sentenced to prison. At a court hearing on April 14, Yanzhong Zhao, 48, no address listed, pleaded guilty to two amended counts of attempted theft from a person in a protected class, each a fourth-degree felony. Zhao pleaded guilty to the two charges in exchange for two counts of possessing criminal tools, each a fifth-degree felony, and one additional count of attempted theft from a person in a protected class, a third-degree felony to be dismissed. Following his plea, Erie County Common Pleas Court Judge Beverly McGookey sentenced Zhao to serve one and a half years in prison, according to court records. Under the terms of his sentencing, Zhao also received credit for about six-and-a-half months served in jail and will be subject to a two-year term of post-release control. Background The investigation into Zhao began in September 2025, when he reportedly "portrayed himself to be an employee of Civista Bank" and went to the victim's house and collected more than $15,000, according to Erie County Municipal Court records. The crimes occurred on or about Sept. 22 when the victim gave Zhao the money, believing he was a bank employee who would set up another account on their behalf after their account had been compromised, court records state.