Berwyn Man Indicted In Local Cell Phone Store Robberies: Feds

CHICAGO — A 33-year-old Berwyn man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with the robberies of cell phone stores in the Chicago suburbs.

Federal officials said Thursday that Ocie Banks, Jr. used a weapon in the robberies of three cell phones in Berwyn and Cicero in late 2020 and early 2021, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois said.

The indictment charges Banks with three counts of robbery, one count of attempted robbery and four counts of carrying, using and brandishing a weapon during a crime of violence, a news release issued Friday said.

Banks has pleaded not guilty during his arraignment hearing on Thursday in Chicago.

Among the incidents listed in the indictment was the attempted robbery of a Metro PCS store in Berwyn on Jan. 15, 2021, when police said the suspect displayed a weapon at the store in the 6300 block of Cermak, demanded money but was unsuccessful, Berwyn Police announced last year.

Police said earlier in the day, a suspect had robbed another Metro PCS store in Cicero and police said that video surveillance matched the same suspect in both incidents.