Mansfield Man Charged with Attempted Bank Robbery

A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Joseph A. Smith, Jr., age 25, of Mansfield, with attempted armed bank robbery and brandishing a weapon during and in relation to a crime of violence, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

The indictment alleges that on November 12, 2014, Smith Jr. attempted to rob the Directions Credit Union located at 460 South Diamond Street, Mansfield, Ohio, and brandished a firearm.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this 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.

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Mansfield Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Mansfield Office.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Linda H. Barr.

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.