Four Defendants Sentenced in Armed Bank Robbery of Statesboro’s Geo Vista Federal Credit Union

STATESBORO, GA—TYMESHA HAMILTON, 24, was sentenced yesterday in federal district court for her role as the getaway driver and organizer in an armed bank robbery of the Geo Vista Federal Credit Union that occurred in Statesboro, Georgia on September 7, 2010. HAMILTON’s co-defendants, NICHOLAS O’BRIAN ROBERTS, CLIFTON ALLEN, and MARCUS DAR-RELL DEAN, were sentenced in April 2011.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will not tolerate violent crimes of this nature. The armed bank robbery at the Geo Vista Federal Credit Union put the lives of several bank employees in jeopardy as guns were pointed directly at them and they were forced to dispense money to the masked gunmen. We will continue to work with law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute these violent crimes to ensure the safety of those in our community, especially in their work places,” stated United States Attorney Ed Tarver.

Evidence presented during the four defendants’ guilty pleas revealed that ROBERTS, in his capacity as a Geo Vista Federal Credit Union employee, organized the armed bank robbery with HAMILTON who recruited DEAN and ALLEN as the armed gunmen. At approximately 4:20 p.m. on September 7, 2010, HAMILTON drove DEAN and ALLEN to the credit union while ROBERTS who was working that day waited for them inside. DEAN and ALLEN, both armed with firearms, entered the credit union and took approximately $27,000 in United States currency.

HAMILTON was sentenced to 115 months, $17,200 in restitution to be paid jointly and severally with her co-defendants, a $2400 fine, and five years of supervised release. ROBERTS was previously sentenced to 118 months; ALLEN, 114 months; and DEAN, 92 months.

This case was brought to the United States Attorney’s Office by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Statesboro Police Department.

U.S. Attorney Tarver recognized the extensive efforts of both the Statesboro Police Department and the FBI in bringing this criminal activity to light, and particularly praised the efforts of Statesboro FBI Special Agent Cornelius Harris and Detective Sergeant James Winskey, who investigated this case.

Assistant United States Attorney Natalie Lee was the prosecutor on this case. For additional information, please contact First Assistant United States Attorney James D. Durham at (912) 201-2547.