2 charged with robbery

Two men accused of robbing Settle Jewelry last week were formally charged Tuesday in Monroe County Circuit Court. \nBrishon Bond, 27, and Charles Wade Brown, 23, both students at IU-Purdue University at Indianapolis, were charged with two counts of armed robbery and 10 counts of criminal confinement. \nThe Monroe County Prosecutor's Office charged them individually for each employee and customer police say the two hauled into the store's back room.\nThe prosecutor also charged Bond with unlawful possession of a firearm as a serious violent felon and habitual offender. Brown was charged with possession of a handgun without a license after having committed a previous handgun violation.\nIf convicted on all counts, each could face up to 120 years in prison.\nMonroe County Circuit Court Judge Marc Kellams set bail at $500,000 surety and $1,000 cash. Both men are being held in the Monroe County Correctional Center.\nPolice said Bond and Brown walked into the store with drawn handguns Friday afternoon, forcing employees and customers into the back room at gunpoint. According to the police report, they spent about 10 minutes in the store at 109 S. Walnut, stealing a cell phone and jewelry from the hostages and smashing cases behind the counter. Police said the two men stuffed the stolen jewelry into a black backpack, which was recovered at the scene of the arrest.\nVictor and Marie Settle, the store's owners, have closed the store for the week, cleaning up the mess. \n"We're glad that no one got hurt," said Marie Settle, declining to comment further.\nPolice showed up at the store shortly after an employee tripped a silent alarm. They pursued the two suspects, who had discarded their 9 mm semiautomatic handguns in the store, down Kirkwood Avenue and through a pedestrian alley.\nAbout six officers, responding to the alert, surrounded the two men near the intersection of Fourth and Washington Streets. Capt. Bill Parker said they initially failed to comply with police, but they eventually surrendered. \nAccording to school records, both are enrolled at IUPUI. Bond was a junior majoring in elementary education, while Brown was pursuing an associate's degree in commercial computing. \nStaff writer Bryan Harris contributed to this report.