Special to The Signal

On March 6, 2013, Gerrard Dixon, entered a plea of guilty to armed bank robbery and conspiracy to commit an armed bank robbery.

On Friday, Nov. 4, 2011, at approximately 11:42 a.m., Dixon and another individual entered the BancorpSouth Bank located in Fort Deposit, Ala., and robbed it at gunpoint.

The bank surveillance video shows Dixon and another individual, Lee Williams, enter the bank and while Williams holds a customer and employees at gunpoint, Dixon jumps over the counter and takes over $9,000 in assorted U.S. currency from two teller drawers. Dixon and Williams then make their escape by a waiting car.

On Dec. 7, 2011, Dixon and Williams entered into an agreement to rob the same BancorpSouth Bank and in furtherance of the conspiracy, obtained guns, an automobile, and returned to Fort Deposit to “case” the bank.

Fort Deposit police officers, who had increased patrol on area banks, noticed Dixon, who was operating the vehicle, and Williams, who was the passenger, behaving suspiciously.

When the officers attempted to stop them, Dixon fled, taking police on a high-speed pursuit.

Dixon eventually crashed his vehicle in Montgomery, and the two fled on foot, but were quickly apprehended by the Montgomery Police Department.

Two loaded firearms were recovered near the crash site.

“Those that rob banks put tellers, customers and the public at large in serious danger,” said U.S. Attorney George L. Beck, Jr. “These innocent victims are often traumatized by these bank robberies. My office will continue to prosecute those people who intentionally hurt the public for their own monetary gain.”

Dixon, who is currently serving a sentence of 30 years for the Attempted Murder of a convenience store employee in Montgomery, faces a possible sentence of incarceration of not more than 25 years for the bank robbery and not more than five years for the conspiracy, a fine of not more than $250,000, and a term of supervised release of not more than five years.

Williams entered an earlier plea to similar charges and is awaiting sentencing at this time.

The case is being investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Fort Deposit Police Department, the Montgomery Police Department and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Susan R. Redmond.