Sergio Luis Bellew and Scott Allen Hall were before 34th District Court Judge Tina Brooks Green on Dec. 1 for their arraignments and probable cause conference on charges of robbing the Belleville Chase bank on April 16.
Bellew, 26, of River Rouge, was present virtually from the Wayne County Jail, where he is being held, and Hall, 35, was present virtually from a treatment facility.
Bellew’s preliminary exam was set for noon on Jan. 19 at 34th District Court. Hall waived his preliminary exam and was scheduled for a Dec. 8 arraignment on the information at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice in Detroit.
The original bank robbery charges filed in May were dismissed on Sept. 29 by Judge Lisa Martin on a motion by the defense since a necessary witness in the case was in Florida and could not testify.
The charges were dismissed with prejudice so they could be refiled and they were refiled on Nov. 8.
Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Alex Kurrie said there will be three or four witnesses in Bellew’s preliminary exam and Assistant Prosecutor Jane Gillis said they will have to fly a witness in from Florida.
Hall’s appointed attorney John McWilliams said his client will waive the preliminary exam and go right to circuit court. He is in drug treatment at a facility and doing well, McWilliams said of Hall.
The two also were charged with robbing a bank in Redford Township on April 15, the day before the Belleville robbery.
Hall was accused of driving the getaway cars in both robberies. The preliminary exam for the Redford Township case was set for Aug. 17 at 17th District Court.
On Sept. 7, Hall waived his preliminary exam and was bound over to circuit court for an arraignment on the information. Bellew held his exam on Sept. 7 and was bound over to circuit court. Their arraignments on the information were held Sept. 14 and a calendar conference set for Oct. 19 before Circuit Court Judge Bridget Mary Hathaway.
A motion hearing in Bellew’s Redford Township case now has been set for Jan. 10. Bellew’s bond had been set at $500,000 cash or surety with a tether if released.
Hall’s personal bond was set for $100,000 with a tether. An evidentiary hearing in his Redford Township case was set for Feb. 8 for Hall.
Bellew’s appointed defense attorney is Lillian Diallo.
Belleville Police Chief Dave Robinson said the suspect, later identified as Bellew, entered the bank in Belleville and presented a note to the teller demanding money on April 16. There was no weapon seen or implied, he said.
The Belleville Chase bank also was robbed on Nov. 7, 2020 by a man who had robbed the Chase bank in Canton on Nov. 5, 2020. Joe Stafford, 55, of Powder Springs, GA, was sentenced to 4-15 years in prison after pleading guilty to the Canton robbery. In exchange for his guilty plea on May 25, the Belleville charge was dismissed.
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