Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Bank Robbery

Michael J. Moore, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announced that Eric Colbert, age 38, of Albany, Georgia, entered a plea of guilty today to count one of an indictment charging him with armed tobbery, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 2113(a) and (d) and count two charging Mr. Colbert with discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 924(c) (1). Mr. Colbert entered his plea before the Honorable W. Louis Sands, United States District Judge in Albany, Georgia.

As part of his plea of guilty, Mr. Colbert admitted that on the morning of November 18, 2011, he entered First State Bank in Albany, Georgia, held up a gun, fired a shot into the ceiling, and shouted, “This is a robbery.” Mr. Colbert also admitted firing an additional shot at an Albany Police Department officer who was in the bank and then firing several shots behind him as he fled from the bank with the officer in pursuit. Mr. Colbert was apprehended shortly after his attempt to rob the First State Bank. No money was stolen from the bank, and no one was hurt.

The maximum penalty for count one is 25 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both, followed by a term of supervised release of five years. Count two carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years up to a maximum of life in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both, followed by a term of supervised release of five years. The sentence imposed pursuant to count two will run consecutively to any other term of imprisonment.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and the Albany Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Peter Leary is handling the prosecution for the government.