BROWNSTOWN — A Jackson County man who pleaded guilty to robbing a Brownstown bank in February 2024 was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Thursday in Jackson Circuit Court.
Jeremiah Marcous Bragg, 36, will serve 14 years of his sentence in prison, followed by three years with Jackson-Jennings Community Corrections, and a final three years on supervised probation, as ordered by Jackson Circuit Judge Richard W. Poynter.
Bragg was arrested on February 6, 2024, shortly after the robbery of the JCBank Brownstown branch. He initially faced 13 charges, including robbery and four counts of criminal confinement while armed with a deadly weapon, all Level 3 felonies. On March 28, Bragg pleaded guilty to armed robbery (Level 3 felony) and two Level 6 felony charges of pointing a firearm.
Bragg failed to appear for his initial sentencing hearing on June 10 but was apprehended on June 13 near the Jackson County line with Washington County.
During Thursday’s sentencing, Deputy Prosecutor Lynsey Fleetwood presented surveillance video of the robbery. She read impact statements from two former bank employees, both of whom left their jobs due to the trauma they experienced. Witness Faythe Williams testified that while she didn’t hate Bragg, she “hated the choices he made” and emphasized the lasting emotional impact on those present.
Bragg’s attorney, Brock Dawson, noted that Bragg had pleaded guilty to the highest level of guilt and, despite missing the previous hearing, had attended all subsequent hearings. Bragg apologized to the witnesses in court, stating he was “not a bad person.”
Judge Poynter, however, admonished Bragg, stating, “You jeopardized not only yourself but other people.” He stressed that Bragg had no right to rob the bank, dismissed any notion that “the world owed him something,” and highlighted the significant “psychological damage that stayed with the people who were there.” Poynter expressed hope that the prison sentence would allow Bragg to reflect on the consequences of his actions.
According to an Indiana State Police news release from the time of the robbery, Bragg entered the bank, pointed a firearm at employees, took cash, and fled in a Nissan. He was apprehended a short time later on Vallonia Road by officers from Brownstown and Jackson County. Bragg exited his vehicle holding a handgun and the stolen cash before dropping the weapon and surrendering. Two other individuals traveling with Bragg were not charged.
Those facing criminal charges are considered innocent until proven guilty through due legal proceedings. Accusations alone do not imply guilt; the judicial system will evaluate the presented evidence to reach a verdict.
