3 charged with bank heist in Old Fort denied bond

12/18/2001

OLD FORT, Ohio -- Three men appeared in U.S. District Court, Toledo, yesterday on bank robbery charges stemming from a hold-up at the Old Fort Federal Savings Bank last week.

Brandon Blanton, 19, of Rocky Ridge, and Michael Losey, 18, of Fremont, were ordered to be held without bond at the Lucas County jail pending preliminary and detention hearings in federal court on Friday.

During an initial appearance yesterday, a third suspect, Arthur Martin, 20, of Rocky Ridge, waived his preliminary hearing and was bound over for further court proceedings. He was ordered to remain at the county jail without bond.

Authorities charged the three men with bank robbery after they were arrested during the weekend at a Rocky Ridge home. Carl Spicocchi, head of the Toledo FBI office, said a search turned up evidence from the robbery.

On Dec. 16, two men robbed a teller of money at the Old Fort bank, and at least one of them displayed a black semi-automatic pistol during the robbery. They escaped by car. Mr. Spicocchi said authorities believe Mr. Blanton was the driver in the robbery.