WILMINGTON - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that Monday in federal court, a jury found ROBERT EARL MAYS and PARIS CORDAVA WILLIAMS, from the District of Columbia, guilty of bank robbery and aiding and abetting. WILLIAMS also was found guilty of possession of a firearm by a felon. The Honorable James C. Fox was the presiding United States District Court Judge.
According to the investigation, MAYS and WILLIAMS were traveling with a third man, RICKY FRANKS, in a car rented by FRANKS from the District of Columbia. On Nov. 13, 2014, close to closing time, WILLIAMS and FRANKS entered the PNC Bank located at 3401 Raleigh Road Parkway in Wilson, North Carolina and robbed it. FRANKS vaulted the teller counter and took approximately $1,579.00 in United States currency from a teller’s drawer. When FRANKS grabbed the money, he also grabbed the GPS tracking device. FRANKS and WILLIAMS hid with the money and tracking device in the trunk of the rental car. MAYS drove the car a short distance away. The Wilson Police Department was alerted of the robbery and also notified that the moving tracking device became stationary on Raleigh Road. After a systematic search of cars in a stopped line of traffic near the bank, by Wilson Police Department officers, officers located FRANKS and WILLIAMS in the car’s trunk with the bag of money, GPS tracker and a firearm.
FRANKS pled guilty to bank robbery and possession of firearm by a felon before trial.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Wilson Police Department. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives also assisted. Assistant United States Attorneys S. Katherine Burnette and Carrie D. Randa represented the government.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
