Serial Bank Robber Pleads Guilty
Louisville Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing Local Banks of More than $130,000

LOUISVILLE, KY—Paul Lawrence Willis, Jr., age 30, of Louisville, Kentucky, in Jefferson County, entered a guilty plea to five counts of bank robbery and one count of use of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, Candace G. Hill, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky announced today.

Pursuant to a plea agreement, Willis admitted that during 2008 he robbed five Louisville area banks of more than $130,000. He admitted that on December 1, 2008, he used a handgun to  rob the Telco Credit Union, insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), of approximately $ 59,905. He admitted that on March 7, 2008, he used a handgun to rob the Republic Bank, insured by the FDIC, located at 3726 Lexington Road, of approximately $24,494. He admitted that on September 29, 2008, he used a handgun to rob the National City Bank, insured by the FDIC, located at 9900 Linn Station Road, of approximately $14,971. He admitted that on July 19, 2008, he used a handgun to rob the River City Bank, insured by the FDIC, located at 10130 Taylorsville Road, of approximately $27,717. He admitted that on May 30, 2008, he used a handgun to rob the Fifth Third Bank, insured by the FDIC, located at 3801 Hurstbourne Parkway, of approximately $5,490.

This is a Project Backfire prosecution. Project Backfire is a cooperative effort by the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office, the Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorneys Office, the Louisville Metro Police Department, and the United States Attorney’s Office to ensure that firearm offenses are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the state and federal law.

Willis is scheduled to be sentenced before District Judge, Thomas B. Russell, on February 16, 2010, at 11:45 a.m., in Louisville, Kentucky. Provided Judge Russell formally accepts the plea agreement, Willis will be sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment, to be followed by the maximum term of supervised release of not less than five years. Parole has been abolished from the federal judicial system.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mac Shannon. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation in partnership with the Louisville Metro Police Department Robbery Division, the St. Matthews Police Department, and the Jefferson-town Police Department.