Earl Blue, 48, of Greenwood, was sentenced on Jul. 28 to 200 months in federal prison by Senior United States District Court Judge Sharion Aycock for robbing a branch of Regions Bank in Greenwood, Mississippi. In addition to the prison sentence, Blue received five years of supervision and was ordered to pay $5,300 in restitution to the victim bank.
According to court documents, on May 15, 2025, Blue entered Regions Bank stating he wished to open an account. After waiting for a period inside the bank, he approached a teller and pointed a handgun at her while demanding money. The teller complied with his demands and Blue fled with U.S. currency. The Greenwood Police Department responded promptly and worked with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to identify Blue as the suspect. He was apprehended the following day by the United States Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force in St. Louis, Missouri; authorities recovered a significant amount of stolen currency from his possession at that time.
U.S. Attorney Scott F. Leary said, “Success is not measured by one’s wealth, but by one’s worth. Honorable people are honest, dedicated hard workers, dishonorable people take what does not belong to them. We’ve been dealing with bank robbers for awhile now, and it takes honorable people to bring them to justice, which is what happened in this case. I commend the Greenwood Police Department and the FBI for their investigation of this case. By working together, law enforcement can accomplish so much more in protecting the public from dangerous criminals. I also credit AUSA Herzog for his professionalism in prosecuting this case.”
Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jackson Field Office Robert Eikhoff said, “Armed robbery is a bold, brazen act that Blue believed he could commit with impunity, but today’s sentencing sends a clear message: Bank robbery is not an easy payday—it’s a serious federal crime and perpetrators will be held accountable. The FBI, together with our law enforcement partners, remains steadfast in our commitment to identify, apprehend, and bring to justice offenders like Blue. Our resolve to protect public safety is unwavering.”
Greenwood Police Department Chief Serafin Simon Jr. said, “Today’s sentence of Earl Blue in the armed bank robbery that occurred in Greenwood represents the successful conclusion of a thorough investigation and the unwavering commitment of our officers, investigators, and our law enforcement partners to bring violent offenders to justice… We are grateful to our partnership with federal prosecutors and investigators for their dedication throughout this process… Most importantly, we remain committed to protecting the citizens of Greenwood and ensuring that justice is served.” Assistant U.S. Attorney John Herzog Jr. prosecuted the case.