Federal Jury Convicts Fayetteville Bank Robbers

GREENVILLE—United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court on January 19, 2012, a jury found two defendants guilty of charges related to the November 1, 2010, bank robbery of a Fayetteville, North Carolina, bank. LARRY RODGERS, JR., 30, and RODNEY ANTAWAN BROWN, also 30, were each found guilty of conspiring to commit bank robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371; armed bank robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2113(a) and (d); and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c).

According to the July 27, 2011 criminal indictment, on November 1, 2010, following their discussion of the bank robbery, RODGERS and BROWN traveled to the First Citizens Bank on Ramsey Street in Fayetteville. Evidence presented at trial showed that RODGERS, carrying a duffel bag, and BROWN, holding a black semiautomatic handgun, both approached the teller counter. BROWN vaulted the teller counter, threatened to shoot the tellers, and started pulling money from the teller drawers. Both bait bills and dye packs were placed in the duffel bag. Both robbers left the bank and got into the getaway car, with BROWN driving. RODGERS was in the passenger seat with the duffel bag, containing $20,700, on his lap. As they left the scene, a dye pack went off, staining RODGERS’ jeans. Shortly after the robbery, law enforcement located the getaway car and attempted a stop of the vehicle. Following an automobile and foot chase, RODGERS was located hiding in a trash can. Brown was located and arrested seven days later in South Carolina after leading officers on a high-speed chase.

At sentencing, set for the May 8, 2012, term of court, each defendant faces up to five years’ imprisonment for the conspiracy charge. For the armed bank robbery charge, each defendant faces up to 25 years’ imprisonment and for the firearm charge, each defendant faces up to a life-term of imprisonment consecutive to any other sentence imposed.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fayetteville Police Department. Thank you to the Fort Bragg Military Police for their assistance during the search of the defendants. Assistant United States Attorney Felice McConnell Corpening is prosecuting the case.