Home Houston Press Releases 2009 “Inside Job” Bank Robbery Gunman Gets Lengthy Prison Term
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“Inside Job” Bank Robbery Gunman Gets Lengthy Prison Term

U.S. Attorney’s Office September 16, 2009
  • Southern District of Texas (713) 567-9000

HOUSTON—A Houston man who fired a shotgun during a robbery of a local credit union was sentenced to more than 16 years imprisonment, United States Attorney Tim Johnson announced today.

Dominique Sherrard Ervin, 20, was sentenced today to 198 months by United States District Judge David Hittner. Ervin previously pleaded guilty on April 16, 2009, to one count of aggravated bank robbery and one count of discharging a firearm in connection with a bank robbery. He has been incarcerated since his arrest on Dec. 19, 2008.

Shortly before the Investex Credit Union (ICU) in Spring, Texas, opened on Nov. 5, 2008, Ervin and Carl Edward Preston, 20, contacted Dorcell Johnson, 19, by cellular telephone. Johnson had worked for more than two years as an intern at the bank and was already at work at ICU when he received the call. Once Johnson gave the go-ahead, Ervin and Preston entered ICU wearing masks and carrying shotguns. Preston pointed his shotgun at an armed security guard, while Ervin pointed his shotgun at Johnson, pretending to take him hostage. 

With guns still drawn, Ervin and Preston walked the guard and Johnson to a back room where the vault was located. Johnson and a female bank employee opened the vault and began placing currency in a black bag provided by Ervin and Preston. Preston disarmed the security guard of his .357 revolver and also took the guard’s cell phone. Once the money was placed in the bag, Preston and Ervin forced the female bank employee and security guard to lie down. Ervin then fired a single shot from his shotgun over the victims’ heads, blowing out one of the vault’s security cameras.  Ervin and Preston then escaped through a rear exit door. Altogether, they absconded with $202,250, which they later divided with Johnson.

In addition to the prison term, Ervin was ordered to pay restitution and serve a three-year-term of supervised release following his sentence. Ervin will also forfeit a shotgun and two vehicles, a 1989 Cadillac and 2002 Chevrolet Impala, that were purchased with proceeds from the robbery. On July 15, Preston was sentenced to 155 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release. Johnson, who has also pleaded guilty, is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 25, 2009.

This case was investigated by the Houston Area Bank Robbery Task Force, which is comprised of agents from the FBI, Houston Police Department and Harris County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Searle. 

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