U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
710 Locust Street
Knoxville, Tennessee 37902
December 28, 2006
NEWS RELEASE
The Knoxville Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Blount County Sheriff James Berrong announce the arrest today of Steven D. Castles, age 39, and Tara L. Forker, also known as Brittany Martinez, age 32, for the robbery of the Branch Banking & Trust (BB&T) located at 10232 Chapman Highway, Seymour, Tennessee yesterday morning.
At approximately 3:45 p.m., law enforcement officers approached Castles and Forker while they were parked in a green sport utility vehicle off of the Strawberry Plains Pike Exit of Interstate 40. The vehicle was believed to be the same one used in yesterday's robbery. Castles and Forker then fled the scene, entering Interstate 40 traffic and at one point driving eastbound on westbound lanes. Castles and Forker were subsequently taken into custody without further incident.
Personnel assisting in the apprehension were from the Knox County Sheriff's Office, the Knoxville Police Department, the Sevier County Sheriff's Office, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, the Blount County Sheriff's Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Anyone having information concerning the robbery should call the FBI at (865) 544-0751 or the Blount County Sheriff's Office at (865) 273-5200. The public is reminded that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.