RALEIGH — The last of four men who robbed a Lumberton bank in January 2018 and were the subject of a multi-day manhunt has been sentenced to life in prison.
In addition to life in prison, Demetris Sean Robinson, also known as “Bo Bo,” will serve 10 years consecutively, followed by five years of supervised release and pay $40,302 in restitution, according to Robert J. Higdon Jr., the United States attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Robinson, 27, is from Whiteville.
Robinson was convicted on May 1 of armed bank robbery, aiding and abetting, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Sentenced in November were Daquan Madrid Pridgen, 27, of Memory Twin Circle in Whiteville, who received life in prison plus an additional 10 years behind bars; Jeramie Ross Vaughn, also known as “Vido,” 30, of Bitmore Road in Parkton, who received 15 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release; and Rashad Devonte Young, also known as “Rep,” 28, of 421 W. Lewis St. in Whiteville, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
Each was ordered to pay $40,302.
All were sentenced by Chief United States District Court Judge Terrence W. Boyle.
The evidence presented at trial showed that sometime in late 2017, the four men began planning to rob a bank and gathered high-quality masks to wear during the robbery, and several firearms, including a rifle, shotgun, and two handguns. On Jan. 23, 2018, the four men traveled to Lumberton and cased banks before deciding to rob the PNC Bank. Robinson, Pridgen, and Young each brandished firearms and ordered the tellers to hand over money. A bank employee was ordered to the bank vault, where additional money was taken.
In all, the four men fled the bank with more than $40,000 in cash.
Lumberton Police Department officers quickly caught up with the robbers and a two-county high-speed chase ensued. Law enforcement personnel from the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office and the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office also joined the chase. The defendants drove through residential areas and reached speeds in excess of 90 mph. At various points in the chase, Robinson fired at officers, both while the getaway vehicle was in motion and while the vehicle stopped several times. Several law enforcement vehicles were struck, but there were no injuries to pursuing officers and deputies. The chase ended when Robinson, Pridgen, and Vaughn abandoned the vehicle on the side of the road in Columbus County and fled on foot into nearby woods. Young ran on foot when the vehicle had stopped previously. All four were eventually apprehended and charged.
The FBI, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Lumberton Police Department, the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Erin C. Blondel and Robert J. Dodson prosecuted the case for the government.
