BRANCH COUNTY, MI (WTVB) – A Sturgis man was formally charged during a Friday arraignment in Branch County District Court with robbing a Bronson area woman at gunpoint in her home on October 22, 2021.
25-year-old Dylan Brand was charged by Branch County Prosecutors with armed robbery, first degree home invasion and felony firearm.
Prosecutors also filed a fourth notice habitual offender sentencing enhancer against Brand. Court records show he was convicted in St. Joseph County in 2016 for possession of methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm in 2018. He was also convicted in LaGrange County, Indiana in 2019 for battery against a public safety officer.
According to Branch County court documents, Brand is accused of forcing his way into the alleged victim’s home. He allegedly put a small black pistol near the woman’s temple and demanded to know where the safe was but the woman said she did not have one.
The suspect allegedly took a purse and left in an older model BMW. Law enforcement agencies were then told to be on the lookout for the vehicle.
Sturgis Police initiated a pursuit. They were familiar with the suspect and the vehicle since they had recently been in a pursuit with it.
The vehicle crashed and Brand was accused of trying to make a run for it but he was later apprehended by Sturgis Police.
Michigan State Police later found a loaded gun that had apparently been thrown from the vehicle being pursued. Police also found a wallet and an insurance card that belonged to the alleged victim inside of the BMW.
The alleged victim later identified the suspect during a photo lineup. Brand was lodged in the St. Joseph County Jail on fleeing and eluding along with other weapons charges following a joint Investigation by Sturgis Police, the Michigan State Police K-9 unit and Branch County Sheriff’s Deputies.
The Branch County Sheriff’s Department requested charges on February 18 and a warrant was issued four days later.
Bond during Friday’s arraignment was set at $100,000. A probable cause hearing was scheduled for March 15 with a preliminary exam on March 22.
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