Two Charged in Armed Bank Robbery

Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, today announced that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Bernard Benjamin Calbert, age 27, of Akron, Ohio, and Deon Davis, age 26, of Akron, Ohio, with one count of armed bank robbery, one count of using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and aiding and abetting. Davis was also charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The indictment charges that on June 27, 2011, Bernard Benjamin Calbert and Deon Davis, did by force, violence, and intimidation, take from a bank teller the sum of approximately $5,407.00, which was under the care, custody, and possession of First Merit Bank, located at 1411 South Arlington Street, Akron, Ohio, the deposits of which were then federally insured, and in committing such offense, defendants did assault and put in jeopardy the lives of bank employees and others by brandishing a firearm.

The indictment was presented to the grand jury by Assistant United States Attorney Christos N. Georgalis after an investigation by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

If convicted, the defendants’ sentence will be determined by the court after a review of factors unique to the case, including the defendants’ prior criminal record, if any, the defendants’ 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.