Jury Convicts Local Man of Bank Robbery

HOUSTON – A 24 year-old Houston man has been found guilty for the armed robbery of a Capital One Bank and for using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. A Houston federal jury convicted Trent Davis today following two days of trial and approximately an hour of deliberation.

On April 26, 2016, Davis and co-defendant Derrick Muhammad, 28, of Houston, robbed the Capital One Bank located at 1514 West Sam Houston South in Houston. The men entered the facility, at which time Davis jumped the counter, pointed a pink gun at the teller and demanded he open the vault. Upon fleeing the bank, two dye packs exploded within the bag holding the money which was then thrown from the car. A witness in a nearby building saw the two masked men exiting the bank and photographed the vehicle as the dye pack exploded.

Davis used his sister’s car during the robbery. During trial, an FBI chemist testified that a substance found in that vehicle had chemicals found only in dye packs.

The lead teller on the date of the robbery told the jury how he was forced to empty the vault at gunpoint. He testified that the robbers were wearing hoodies and that one of them used a pink gun in the robbery.

Davis was apprehended approximately a month after the robbery in possession of a pink gun that had been painted black.

Two witnesses testified about jail house conversations they had with Davis and claimed Davis confessed to the crime, that he used his sister’s car and about the pink gun being painted. The jury also heard from Muhammad who testified about the details of the robbery. He previously pleaded guilty and will be sentenced in March 2017.

U.S. District Judge David Hittner presided over the trial and has set sentencing for April 19, 2017. At that time, Davis faces up to 25 years for the bank robbery as well as another seven years for the use and carrying of a firearm which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed.

The FBI Violent Crime Task Force conducted the investigation, which included agents and officers of the FBI, Harris County Sheriff’s Office and Houston Police Department Assistant U.S. Attorneys Celia Moyer and Jill Stotts are prosecuting the case.