A 62-year-old Palmdale man is due back in court next week to answer to two separate 2024 allegations involving theft.
Judge Scott Andrew Yang held Jospeh Bennett to answer to three charges, according to a criminal filing.
Bennett is expected to enter his plea to three charges at his Feb. 26 hearing: second-degree robbery, and two counts of attempted second-degree robbery, with an allegation that force was used on one of them.
Jared Olen, the attorney representing Bennett, issued a statement on his client’s behalf Tuesday, via email:
“The defense presented the testimony of an expert witness at the preliminary hearing who testified that, in his professional opinion, Mr. Bennett cannot possibly be the perpetrator in either of the charged incidents. This affirms what we already knew: Mr. Bennett is innocent. We look forward to Mr. Bennett being cleared of all charges.”
Yang’s ruling meant that based on his consideration of the evidence, there was enough to hold Bennett for trial, after hearing from witnesses and Sheriff’s Department investigators.
Palmdale Sheriff’s Station deputies arrested Bennett on the afternoon of Nov. 27, about five months after an investigation by the Major Crimes Bureau of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department.
The first allegation states Bennett committed armed robbery at the California Bank & Trust branch in Acton shortly after 10:30 a.m. June 21.
LASD detectives issued a statement saying they believe the 61-year-old walked into the bank wearing an N-95 mask, convinced the teller he had a firearm and demanded the employee fill a bag with money.
Detectives reported that the suspect left the bank with several hundred dollars in cash.
There are two victims listed in the criminal complaint for the June 21, 2024, allegation.
The third charge confirmed against Bennett involves a Nov. 12, 2024, incident in which Bennett demanded a woman hand over her purse, and when she refused, Bennett physically assaulted her, according to an LASD news release.
