Cleveland Heights Man Indicted On Four Counts Of Bank Robbery

A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Brandon Laster, age 30, of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, with four counts of bank robbery, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

The indictment charges that on October 30, November 18, November 26, and December 11, 2012, Laster did by force, violence, and intimidation, take from the person, presence, and custody of bank tellers the sum of approximately $8,000 which was under the care, custody, and possession of four banks located in University Heights, Cleveland Heights, Independence, and Bedford Heights, the deposits of which were then insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

The indictment was presented to the grand jury by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler after an investigation by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local law enforcement officers.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.