Rome (WSYR-TV) - After admitting to being the getaway driver after his cousin robbed a Rome bank at gunpoint, Ikiko Brown was sentenced to 30 years in prison in Oneida County Court Wednesday.
Brown pleaded guilty to his role in robbing the NBT Bank in July, then leading police on a chase that ended in Marcy. After the chase was when Bown's cousin, Brian Brown, shot a Sheriff's Deputy in the foot.
Brian Brown has pleaded not guilty and is facing trial for the charge of attempted aggravated murder. Ikiko has refused to testify against his cousin.
Man accused of shooting a deputy pleads not guilty
September 9
Utica (WSYR-TV) - A Utica man that police say shot an officer while robbing a bank in Rome has pleaded not guilty to multiple felonies.
The charges against 31-year-old Brian Brown include attempted murder, robbery, aggravated assault, and criminal possession of a weapon.
Brown and his cousin, Ikiko Brown, 24, are accused or robbing the Rome branch of NBT Bank and also another bank in Utica.
Ikiko Brown was caught shortly after the robbery, but Brian Brown eluded police for more than 24 hours after shooting Oneida County Sheriff's Deputy Michael Burger in the ankle.
Brown has been offered a plea deal. If he accepted it, he would serve 30 years to life in prison. He is being held without bail.
Man accused of robbery, shooting deputy appears in court
Aug. 5
Town of Floyd (WSYR-TV) - Last week, he led Police, State Troopers, and Sheriff's Deputies on a more-than 24-hour manhunt after allegedly robbing a bank and shooting a deputy. Thursday afternoon, he made his second court appearance.
Brian Brown, 31, of Utica is charged with attempted murder and for allegedly shooting an Oneida County Sheriff's Deputy while fleeing the robbery or an NBT bank location in Rome.
During his court appearance, Brown waived his right to a preliminary felony hearing. His case will now be presented to an Oneida County Grand Jury.
Brown returned to jail where he is being held without bail.
One of two accused bank robbers appears in court
Aug. 4
Rome (WSYR-TV) - One of two suspects in last week's armed bank robbery in Rome was back in court Wednesday morning.
Ikiko Brown waived his right to a felony hearing Wednesday. Police say he was captured after a 15-mile chase that followed the robbery. He is being held on $250,000 bail. The case now goes to a grand jury.
Ikiko Brown's cousin, Brian Brown, is due in court Thursday. He is charged with attempted aggravated murder for allegedly shooting Oneida County Sheriff's Deputy Michael Burger in the ankle.
Deputy Burger has been released from the hospital after having the bullet removed last Friday, and is home recovering.
Both Rome bank robbery suspects caught
July 31
Town of Floyd, Oneida County (WSYR-TV) - The court process has begun for two cousins suspected of robbing a bank in Rome. The first was in court Friday morning. The second, who also allegedly shot a deputy, was caught Friday afternoon and arraigned that night.
Brian Brown was arraigned shortly before 11:30 p.m. in Town of Floyd Court. He arrived wearing an orange jumpsuit, sweatshirt and shackles. When the presiding judge asked him how he would like to plead to the charge of attempted aggravated murder for the shooting of an Oneida County Sheriff's Deputy, Brown said, "Guilty." The judge, however, said he was unable to accept that plea because in local criminal court a guilty plea cannot be entered for a felony charge. Brown's official plea, therefore, was "not guilty."
Brown's case will be handed over to the public defender's office Monday morning, but the judge is recommending that he get a private attorney.
Brian Brown is next due in Town of Floyd court at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 3. In the meantime, and because of his two prior felonies, he was sent to the Oneida County Jail and is being held without bail.
Ikiko Brown is being held on $250,000 bail. He will return to court on Wednesday, August 4.
Arraignment pending for second suspect in Rome bank robbery
July 30
Rome (WSYR-TV) - The hunt for a man suspected of robbing an NBT Bank in Rome and shooting an Oneida County Sheriff's Deputy has come to an end.
Brian Brown, 31, of Utica, has been arrested and taken into custody, said Public Safety Commissioner Jim Masucci. His arraignment was scheduled for 9:30 p.m. in the Town of Floyd Court, but hasn't yet happened.
The Oneida County Sheriff's Office says Brian Brown will be charged with attempted murder for the shooting of a deputy.
Masucci says he was at the NBT Bank where the saga began when he received the news of Brown's capture in the City of Utica. "I was down here at NBT waiting for closing and I got a call seven or eight minutes ago saying Brown was captured in the City of Utica," he said. "It's great news, I think, for everyone."
Brian Brown allegedly charged into the bank Thursday, pointed a semi-automatic handgun at a teller, and demanded money. At one point, he says, Brown jumped up on the counter and trained a gun on top of the teller's head while she was bent over gathering the cash.
After the robbery, Masucci says Brian and Ikiko Brown fled the bank in a Mitsubishi Galant. They were stopped at Route 49 and Cavanaugh Road in Marcy, where officers caught Ikiko Brown, 24, of Utica. As he was put into custody, Brian Brown hopped into the driver’s seat and took off.
The pursuit continued on Route 49 before coming to an end on Edic Road.
As Brian Brown fled the vehicle, he began exchanging fire with an Oneida County Sheriff’s Deputy. The deputy was hit once in the ankle before Brown disappeared into the woods.
Various law enforcement agencies searched for Brown that evening, overnight and into Friday. Brown was caught in Utica shortly before 5:00 p.m. Friday afternoon.
The Oneida County Sheriff's Office expects to hold a press conference about Brian Brown's capture, but the time of that event has not yet been decided.
Ikiko Brown was arraigned in Rome City Court on Friday morning. He will return to court Wednesday, August 4.
Stay with NewsChannel 9 and 9WSYR.com for more details.
Police piecing together Rome bank robbery; one suspect still loose
July 30
Rome (WSYR-TV) - One man was in handcuffs, while his accomplice was still on the run, the day after a Rome bank was robbed at gunpoint.
Brian Brown and Ikiko Brown are accused of robbing the NBT Bank on Black River Boulevard. Police caught Ikiko but say Brian Brown shot a sheriff's deputy in the leg as he took off running.
Ikiko Brown was arraigned in Rome City Court on Friday morning. He will return to court Wednesday, August 4.
Brian Brown is on the run Friday, but police are piecing together forensic evidence and following up on many leads.
Rome Public Safety Commissioner Jim Masucci says Brian Brown charged into the bank, pointed a semi-automatic handgun at a teller, and demanded money. At one point, he says, Brown jumped up on the counter and trained a gun on top of the teller's head while she was bent over gathering the cash. "I reviewed the bank video and I had to give her [the teller] credit. She was under a lot of pressure and if you saw it, I'm sure it'll stay with her for quite some time" said Masucci.
While inside, Brian Brown alegedly fired inside the bank and damaged a ceiling panel. NewsChannel 9's Kelly Quinn visited the bank Friday, and observed that a ceiling panel had been replaced.
"We're really thankful no one was injured in the incident," said Florence Doller, vice president and director of corporate communications for NBT Bank.
Commissioner Masucci says Ikiko and Brian Brown drove two cars to the bank, a truck and a Mitsubishi Gallant. The Mitsubishi was the getaway car.
Friday, NBT opened for business but with a security guard inside. Tellers assured the customers everyone was safe.
"We're following up with the staff, again thankful they're ok but mindful of their emotional well being," Doller said. "And we're dealing with them on that front as well."
The Mitsubishi was recovered from the Edic Road area where Brown took off on foot after trading gunfire with Oneida County Sheriff's Deputy Michael Burger. Burger was shot in the ankle during that exchange.
Masucci says cash was recovered from inside the Mitsubishi, but investigators aren't sure if that's all the money that was taken.
Friday, The Oneida County Sheriff reported that Deputy Burger was recovering from his wound in the hospital. He was shot with a large-caliber bullet, however, and will require surgery to remove it.
Utica Police said that there are a lot of similarities between this robbery and one that recently took place at a Utica bank. They are working with Rome Police to see if they can definitely link them.
One suspect arraigned; one still at large in Rome bank robbery
July 30
Rome (WSYR-TV) - One of two suspects in a robbery that occurred Thursday morning at NBT Bank in Rome was arraigned on Friday. His suspected accomplice was still on the loose.
Ikiko Brown, 24, was arraigned in Rome City Court on Friday morning on a charge of felony robbery. Police also believe that he was the driver of the get-away car in Thursday's robbery.
He is being held on $250,000 bail. He will return to court on Wednesday, August 4.
Ikiko Brown has been linked to a previous bank robbery in Utica.
The district attorney is also considering charging Brown with felony assault. Police believe his accomplice, Brian Brown, shot Oneida County Sheriff's Deputy Michael Burger. Someone suspected of acting in concert with a suspect charged with assault can receive the same charge.
On Thursday, hundreds of police and other law enforcement officers scoured the area around the SUNY IT campus in the Town of Marcy in search of Brian Brown.
On Friday, the police broadened the search and are targeting numerous locations into which they believe Brian Brown might have fled.
Burger is recovering at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Utica. Staff members at the hospital say he is doing well but will need surgery to remove a bullet from his ankle.
The money stolen in the incident has been recovered.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Brian Brown can call 911 or the Oneida County Sheriff's Department at (315) 765-2226.
Bank robbery suspects identified; search continues for one
July 30
Rome (WSYR-TV) - Hundreds of heavily-armed police have expanded their search for Brian Brown, the second of two suspects wanted after a robbery at the NBT Bank in the City of Rome. Thursday night, Rome Police revealed the name of the suspect they've already apprehended: Ikiko Brown, 24, of Utica.
Police say just after 9:30 Thursday morning, one suspect entered the NBT bank in the 800 block of Black River Blvd. and held up the bank with a handgun. Police say one shot was fired inside of the bank, but no one was hurt.
The suspect fled the bank with an undisclosed amount of money in a vehicle that was waiting outside of the bank. State Police, Oneida County Sheriff’s Deputies and other police agencies were alerted and joined Rome Police in pursuing the vehicle. Police say that thanks to a witness' description of the vehicle, officers stopped it while it was headed eastbound on Route 49. At that point, two suspects were in the vehicle.
Rome Police say that while the suspect vehicle was stopped on Route 49 and Cavanaugh Road in Marcy, officers caught Ikiko Brown, 24, of Utica. As he was put into custody, the second suspect, Brian Jamion Brown, 31, also of Utica, hopped into the driver’s seat and took off.
The pursuit continued on Route 49 before coming to an end on Edic Road.
As Brian Brown fled the vehicle, he began exchanging fire with an Oneida County Sheriff’s Deputy. The deputy was hit once in the ankle. Brown was shot at before he ran into a heavily wood area near the SUNY IT campus.
The deputy that was shot, Michael Burger, was being treated at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Utica. He was listed in good condition.
As a result of the search for Brian Brown, the
SUNY IT campus was locked down, then evacuated. As part of the search for Brian Brown, University Police searched campus room-by-room twice.
“Moving from a lockdown situation to evacuation was essential for two reasons,” said SUNY IT President Wolf Yeigh in a press release. “First, to ensure everyone’s continued safety and second, to allow officers to prepare for the complete search of all campus buildings in conjunction with their outside search of the campus property.”
SUNY IT has announced that the campus will remain closed for business Friday as well.
Quickly after Brian Brown disappeared into the woods, hundreds of State Police and Sheriff's Deputies are on the ground with guns in the area of Edic Road. A helicopter was also in the area, searching for Brown in the trees. Then, shortly before 6:00 p.m., law enforcement told NewsChannel 9's Kelly Quinn that they would be expanding the search to cover a larger area.
Brown is described as a black male with a white shirt, blue jeans and a brush cut. Police are asking folks living around the campus to stay in their homes.
Police say the search will continue through the overnight hours. So far they've followed up with about a half-dozen reported sightings, but none turned out to be true.
"It just got kinda crazy around here. You knew something really serious had happened, because they [police] just kept coming," said John Prumo, who witnessed the police chasing Brown.
With the coming of night time, and Brown still on the lam, Prumo has a feeling of unease. "I guess as darkness comes, you have maybe a different feeling about it."
Law enforcement, however, are resolute that they will catch Brown. "We believe we've searched all the areas that we think he would be hiding in, so now it's really a matter of a waiting game to see if he moved or for us to determine that he's really not here anymore," said State Police Captain Richard Antoanavige. "Be comfortable in the fact that we're here, we're not leaving, and we'll catch this guy."
NBT Bancorp Inc., the parent company of NBT Bank, said on its website it was offering a reward of up to $10,000 for original information leading to the apprehension, arrest and conviction of any individual or individuals responsible for committing this robbery.
Rome Police say that Ikiko Brown is being held in the their lockup and will be arraigned Friday morning in Rome City Court. They have not yet released a list of the charges he will face.
The Onieda County Sheriff's Department says that after 8pm, people who have urgent or immediate information about Brown requested to call 911 for immediate police response.
Stay with NewsChannel 9 and 9wsyr.com for updates.
