SAVANNAH, GA: Edmund A. Booth, Jr., Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, announced today that a Georgia man has pleaded guilty to robbing the SunTrust Bank in Pooler, Georgia.

Tony Eugene Birchfield, who had been charged in a six count indictment with Bank Robbery in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113, entered a plea of guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge William T. Moore Jr. in United States District Court in Savannah, Georgia. Birchfield pleaded guilty to robbing the SunTrust Bank in Pooler Georgia on September 16, 2005. This offense carries a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.00.

Mr. Birchfield, age 58, is currently being held in federal custody while awaiting sentencing. A sentencing date has not been set. In addition to his conviction in the Southern District of Georgia, Birchfield has pleaded guilty to additional bank robberies in the Northern District of Alabama and the Middle District of Georgia.

This case was investigated jointly by members of the Savannah Metropolitan Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Brian F. McEvoy.

#####
20-07