Three face robbery charges after Iowa City purse snatching

IOWA CITY - Three men face robbery charges for an alleged purse snatching.

According to Iowa City police criminal complaints, officers responded to the intersection of Linn and Burlington streets shortly before 10 p.m. Thursday for a report of a robbery. Witnesses told police several black men were involved in the robbery and one of them took the victim's purse.

Police located Jamal T. Brooks, 18, of North Liberty; Trevon R.J. Banks, 19, of Coralville; and Cordaryl D. Taylor, 19, of Coralville; a short distance away from the scene. Police said the men were acting nervously and Taylor was wearing a sweat shirt that matched a description given by a witness. Another subject identified Taylor as the one who committed the robbery, police said.

Police said the stolen purse was found 'in close proximity” to Banks. Witnesses placed him at the scene and said he handled the stolen purse, police said.

All three men were arrested and face one count of second-degree robbery, a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Brooks faces an additional charge of fourth-degree theft for an incident in February in which he stole a cellphone from the Summit Bar in Iowa City and turned it in to an ecoATM for $12. A transaction report from the ecoATM and photographs identified Brooks as the person who turned it in.

Brooks was also wanted for warrants for failure to appear for court dates.