United States Attorney Maxwell Wood, Middle District of Georgia, announces the sentencing of Leroy Lee Jr. on July 12, 2007 before the Honorable W. Louis Sands, United States District Judge for the Middle District of Georgia.

On April 25, 2007, Lee entered a plea of guilty to Counts One and Two of an indictment charging him with armed bank robbery of the Ameris Bank in Doerun, Georgia. Lee was sentenced to 184 months in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons, ordered to serve a term of supervised release and to pay restitution in the amount of $1,500.00 to the owner of the vehicle stolen and damaged in the high-speed chase described below.

On February 16, 2007, the Ameris Bank in Doerun, Georgia was robbed by Lee who brandished a chrome-plated revolver during the robbery. Lee carried a back pack and had a covering over his face. Approximately $1,940.00 was taken in the robbery. During the course of the robbery, the tellers were able to trigger a silent alarm notifying law enforcement of the robbery. Lee left the bank on foot and went to a neighboring business where he forcibly took a vehicle from a citizen at gunpoint.

While Deputies with the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office were conducting a traffic stop on the stolen vehicle, a high speed chase ensued and the driver wrecked the vehicle. He fled the vehicle on foot and was caught within a mile from the crash site. The backpack, facial covering, stolen money and gun used in the bank robbery were located in the wrecked vehicle.

This case was investigated by the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Department and Special Agent Steve McDermond of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Leah E. McEwen.

For additional information, contact Sue McKinney, Public Affairs Specialist, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2602.