Gavel. Photo by Bill Oxford on Unsplash
LOGAN — A 42-year-old Trenton man accused of robbing a Logan bank, made his first appearance before a judge. Joseph Edward Allen has been in the Cache County Jail since being arrested Monday, just north of the bank.
Allen was arraigned Wednesday, Jan. 31, during a virtual hearing in Logan’s 1st District Court, appearing by web conference from Jail. He was charged with aggravated burglary, a first-degree felony; robbery, a second-degree felony; and theft, a third-degree felony.
As the judge read the charges against him, Allen was seen sitting quietly in a jail conference room, accompanied by a Cache County Sheriff’s deputy. He told the court he provided for a family of four, before being determined indigent and assigned a public defender.
Cache County Deputy Attorney Griffin Hazard said Allen was a danger to himself and the community. He asked the court to hold him in without bail.
According to evidence in the case, Logan City Police officers were called to the Goldenwest Credit Union, 220 E. 1400 North, Jan. 29 at 9:05 a.m. Bank employees described how a man had entered the bank, demanded money and fled on foot with approximately $2,000 cash.
Allen was described as wearing a long-sleeved hoodie, pants, blue sneakers, had, and facemask. He had a knife but did not brandish it during the crime.
During Wednesday’s video arraignment, Hazard explained how Allen fled to Lowe’s Home Improvement, where he was employed. He was taken into custody after law enforcement tracked him to the store and managers confirmed his whereabouts.
According to a statement of probable cause, Allen showed police where he hid the money in the store. He admitted to planning the robbery the night before to get money to buy drugs.
Allen was ordered to remain in jail without bail, during Wednesday’s court hearing. He could face up to life in prison if convicted.
Individuals arrested and charged in complaints are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.