Bank Robbery Suspect Charged In Gas Station Holdups
CHICAGO (CBS) -- An East Chicago, Ind., man charged in connection with a bank robbery in the spring that ended with shots fired at police now faces charges in connection with two other local armed robberies.
A superseding indictment filed last week in the U.S. District Court in Hammond charges Jeremiah Ellis with two counts each of Hobbs Act robbery and of robbery affecting commerce.
The charges are in connection with the robbery of the Marathon Gas Station at 220 165th St. in Hammond on March 19, and the robbery of the Mobil Gas Station at 21 Gostlin St. in Hammond on March 26.
Ellis and his co-defendant Ashley Patterson were already charged with one count each of bank robbery by force and using a gun during a violent federal offense in connection with the bank robbery of a First Merchants Bank in East Chicago on March 29, just days after the other two charged armed robberies.
The couple is accused of ordering everyone during the bank robbery to the ground and stealing almost $10,000 from the tellers.
A witness followed the suspects after they fled. Once police began pursuing them, Ellis got out of their getaway vehicle at one point and fired shots at police, the FBI said at the time.
The couple managed to escape but were caught a few days later in Missouri.
Both have pleaded not guilty to the charges connected to the bank robbery and are being held without bond pending their trial, set for Dec. 15.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2014. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)