Four men charged in a $32,479 Ogden bank robbery each pleaded not guilty to the indictment Wednesday during their arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Ron Boyce.
Robert Chavez, 29, Ogden; Allen Esplin, 26, Brigham City; and Larry Lettig, 22, Salt Lake City; are charged in the Aug. 16 holdup at the Golden West Credit Union in Ogden. Willy Ware, 28, Ogden, is charged with providing the getaway car in the robbery.The four men are scheduled to stand trial Dec. 20 before Utah federal Judge Thomas Greene. But defense attorneys said they have filed motions to delay the proceedings.
Chavez and Esplin both are in the Utah State Prison on parole violations and guilty pleas to unrelated charges. Following the robbery, Chavez pleaded guilty to a drug violation and Esplin to car theft.
Ware was being held in the Tooele County Jail. Following his arrest in connection with the bank robbery, he had been sent to an Ogden halfway house. He was later moved to Tooele after testing positive for marijuana use.
Lettig was being held in the Salt Lake County Jail pending a hearing to determine whether he can be released on bail.