LIMA, OH (WLIO) - A jury has given a verdict for a Lima man accused of robbing Union Bank back in 2022. 38-year-old Brandon Allen Sr. was found guilty on a charge of aggravated robbery with a gun and repeat violent offender specifications. He was sentenced to 24-29.5 years in prison.
Police say that on March 8th of 2022, the defendant robbed Union Bank after handing the teller a message on the back of a blank check linked to his account demanding money or else he would shoot. Police linked Allen to the crime after running his account and routing number on the check used to demand money.
Day three of proceedings saw the state go over evidence of a vehicle allegedly used by Allen to scope out the bank, as well as linking security cameras to trace his means of escape and to follow a vehicle that was registered under his name. The prosecution says that Allen had everything planned out for the robbery beforehand.
"You put your dreads up and tie them on your head, put a little cap on them so that none of them fall out of the hat, put a real big hat on to cover that up. Take a mask, cover your face. Make sure the route you are going to drive. He planned it out to do it. And what do you do after you rob the bank? You hide the evidence. You get rid of the stuff." said Joe Everhart, Assistant Prosecutor. "He tried to plan, he thought he was smart, but he wasn't. He wasn't that smart."
The defense points to how no one was able to give an accurate description of the individual who robbed that bank, nor did anyone get any identifiable traits on the one operating the vehicle used to escape, telling the jury that none of it points to his client.
"You follow a car, and you follow a car to different locations, in and around where the bank is. Where Mr. Allen lives. Without even identifying the driver. Male or female. Without seeing who is in or out of that car." said Steve Chamberlain, Allen's attorney.
