Cedar Rapids man charged in beating, robbery of Coggon couple

CEDAR RAPIDS — A Cedar Rapids man was charged Thursday for assaulting an elderly Coggon couple after forcing his way into their home by impersonating a police officer and planning to rob their safe.

Brandon William Lee, 33 — who was arrested Wednesday without incident by the Linn County Sheriff's Office Special Response Team — made an initial appearance Thursday in Linn County District Court.

He is charged with two counts each of first-degree robbery and willful injury, and one count each of first-degree theft and impersonating a public official.

He remains in the Linn County Jail under $80,000 bail.

Lee came to the Coggon home of Sandra and Joseph Henderson, both 72, about 6:30 p.m. Sunday and identified himself as a police officer and displayed a badge, according to a criminal complaint.

Inside the house, Lee repeatedly assaulted the couple, while demanding they take him to their safe.

“The defendant brutally beat Mr. Henderson as he drug him to the safe, and there was blood all over the residence,” the complaint states.

Lee stole over $10,000 from the safe. Sandra Henderson told police the robber had a firearm and threatened to kill them, according to the complaint.

The Hendersons both had multiple injuries, including deep lacerations and bruising that required hospital care and “created a substantial risk of death,” the complaint noted.

The complaint doesn’t explain how Lee may have known the couple had a safe in their house.

Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks said he couldn’t provide further information. He did say Lee was under investigation for charges regarding a firearm.

Lee testified last year in a federal trial for Matthew Robbins, 48, who was convicted of robbing and fatally shooting James Booher, 51, of Marion, in 2014.

Lee has previous convictions for drugs and theft in Linn County, theft in Johnson County and eluding in Delaware County.

He faces up to 50 years on the robbery charges, 20 years on the willful injury, 10 years on the theft charge and two years on the impersonating an officer charge.

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