Bixby Teen Arrested For Armed Robberies Charged As Youthful Offender

A Bixby teen is behind bars after police said he committed several armed robberies. Robbery detectives and a violent crimes task force tracked down the teen this week. Prosecutors are charging him as a youthful offender.

James Ellis is only 16 years old, but the robberies police said he carried out could keep him behind bars for rest of his life, if he's convicted.

Sergeant Brandon Watkins, with the Tulsa Police Department, said, "He's looking at, literally, the rest of his life in prison. It's serious enough. You don't fire shots inside businesses."

Police said Ellis robbed several stores around Tulsa and Broken Arrow this spring.

"We've gone past the day where criminals work one neighborhood. They're all over the place," Watkins said.

The Northeast Oklahoma Violent Crimes Task Force arrested Ellis this week, less than a block away from his Bixby Home.

Booking records show Ellis is a student at Bixby High School, but the assistant superintendent said, he's no longer enrolled.

Court documents show Ellis faces three counts of armed robbery and two counts of reckless conduct with a firearm.

Prosecutors are charging Ellis as a youthful offender, because Ellis is under 18 and is accused of committing adult crimes.

Detectives are puzzled why someone would commit these crimes at such a young age.

"I don't know why he did what he did. He just decided that robbing businesses was a good idea. It doesn't appear he needed the money or anything like that," said Watkins.

Ellis is being held on $400,000 bond.

Ellis was a member of the Bixby baseball team until he was dismissed in November, according to a coach.

No one came to the door at Ellis' home, and the neighborhood was shocked to even see us there.