Man Convicted for Sugar Land Bank Robbery and Admits to Four Others

HOUSTON – A 50-year-old Louisiana man has entered a guilty plea in relation to the September 2015 robbery of BBVA Compass Bank in Sugar Land, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Charles Wood, 50, of Farmersville, Louisiana, admitted he robbed the local bank and further acknowledged he robbed banks in four other states. 

On Sept. 14, 2015, Wood entered the BBVA Compass Bank located at 14121 North Southwest Freeway in Sugar Land. He pulled out a black BB gun from his jacket and displayed it to the teller, asking for a withdrawal of 20s, 50s and 100s. The teller complied.

A brief pursuit with law enforcement ensued which resulted in his apprehension a short distance from the bank.

At the time of the plea today, Wood also admitted to committing four additional bank robberies which occurred throughout the country. Those include the Feb. 18, 2015, robbery of U.S. Bank at 4140 John F. Kennedy Blvd. in Little Rock, Arkansas; the Aug. 11, 2015, robbery of Great Western Bank located at 3800 East 15^th Street in Loveland, Colorado; the Aug. 15, 2015, robbery of American West Bank located at 1290 South West St. in Woods Cross, Utah; and the Aug. 27, 2015 robbery of Valley View Bank located at 8100 West 151^st Street in Overland Park, Kansas.

U.S. District Judge Sim Lake accepted the guilty plea today and has set sentencing for Nov. 3, 2016, at which time he faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine. He will remain in custody pending that hearing.  

The FBI’s Bank Robbery Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Searle is prosecuting the case.