Columbia Man Gets 25 Years for Armed Robberies
Camden Bank, Darlington Store Targeted

COLUMBIA, SC—United States Attorney W. Walter Wilkins stated that Ryan Craig Brown, age 24, of Columbia, was sentenced by United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell to 25 years for bank robbery, armed robbery, and using a firearm in the commission of the bank robbery.

On November 16, 2005, Brown robbed the First Palmetto Savings Bank at 2310 North Broad Street in Camden, by pointing a gun at the tellers and demanding money.

On December 20, 2005, Brown robbed the Movie Gallery at 949 South Governor Williams Highway in Darlington, by shoving a firearm into the store manager’s side, demanding money from the register and safe, and forcing the employees and several customers into the restroom at the rear of the store.

Brown also took the manager’s car to flee the scene and was involved in a high-speed chase with law enforcement. The stolen vehicle was struck in the rear by a patrol car and forced off the road into a nearby ditch. Brown had a loaded pistol, cash, and a set of restraints in his possession when he was apprehended after a chase on foot from the accident scene.

The case was investigated by the Darlington and Camden Police Departments, SLED, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Rose Mary Parham of the Florence office prosecuted the case as part of Project CeaseFire, an initiative of the United States Attorneys Office that seeks to aggressively prosecute gun-related crimes.