U.S. Department of Justice United States Attorney’s Office Western District of Tennessee 800 Federal Office Building Memphis, Tennessee 38103 Press Release For Immediate Release For Further Information Contact: Leigh Anne Jordon (901) 544-4231 May 9, 2006

BANK ROBBERS INDICTED

Memphis, TN - David Kustoff, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced today that Odom Hamm, age 19 of Memphis, Damien Merritt, age 26 of Memphis, Cornelius Bell, age 19 of Memphis, and Edward Davis, age 20 of Memphis, were indicted in federal court and charged with bank robbery and using firearms during a crime of violence in connection with the robbery of the First Tennessee Bank inside the Kroger’s grocery at 7942 Winchester Road on April 29, 2006.

All of the defendants face a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a fine of not more than $500,000.

Hamm and Bell are in custody. Merritt and Davis are fugitives.

The case is being jointly investigated by the Memphis Police Department Robbery Bureau and by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, which is comprised of members of the Memphis Police Department, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tony Arvin.