Federal grand jury indicts Berwyn man in armed robberies of cell phone stores

CHICAGO - A federal grand jury returned an eight-count indictment against a Berwyn man who allegedly robbed several cell phone stores at gunpoint in the Chicago suburbs.

Ocie Banks, Jr., 33, allegedly robbed three cellphone stores and attempted to rob a fourth in late 2020 and early 2021, according to the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois.

The incidents occurred at Metro by T-Mobile stores in Cicero and Berwyn, prosecutors said in a statement.

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Banks has been charged with three counts of robbery, one count of attempted robbery and four counts of using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, prosecutors said.

He pleaded not guilty Thursday during an arraignment in federal court.

Each robbery and attempted robbery is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison while each firearm count carries a mandatory seven-year sentence, according to prosecutors.