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HUNTSVILLE -- U.S. District Judge Virginia Emerson Hopkins today sentenced the Ball Cap Bandit to seven years and three months in prison for his string of 11 bank robberies in 2012 and 2013, announced U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance and FBI Special Agent in Charge Richard D. Schwein Jr.
CEDRICK LAMOND HICKS, 33, of Huntsville, was dubbed the Ball Cap Bandit because he often wore such a cap during his crime spree. He pleaded guilty in December to the 11 bank robberies, 10 of which were in Alabama. One of the robberies was in Tennessee. Along with the prison sentence, the judge ordered Hicks to pay a total of $63,048 in restitution to the banks.
"Bank robbery is an extremely serious offense, not only because of the danger to human life that is involved but also because of the debilitating fear it creates for the victims," the government argued in a court filing opposing a defense motion for a downward variance from the federal sentencing guidelines range of 108 to 135 months in prison. "It is immaterial to many victims of bank robberies whether the perpetrator had a gun, brandished something that appeared to be a gun or simply stated he had a gun," the government said.
The court filing quotes several victims of Hicks' robberies including one who said it is still hard for her to do her job because she remains "paranoid when people walk into the bank that I don't recognize." Another victim said the effects of the robbery do not end on the day of the robbery. "Having a gun pulled on you is terrifying," she said. She has been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Acute Stress Disorder because of the crime, according to the government document.
The dates, locations and amount of money stolen in the robberies Hicks pleaded guilty to are as follows:
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Stuart Burrell of the Northern District of Alabama prosecuted the case.