LaGrange man goes to prison for robbing banks in Lavonia and Alabama
A Troup County man was sentenced Tuesday in Athens to eight years in a federal prison in connection with two bank robberies, one in Georgia and another in Alabama.
Randy Cofield, 60, of LaGrange had earlier entered guilty pleas to two counts of bank robbery in July in U.S. District Court.
“I accept the punishment for a bad decision I took,” Cofield told U.S. District Judge Tilman Self III prior to sentencing.
Cofield also said he wanted to convey to the bank employees a “sincere apology” and he wanted to let them know that they never faced any real harm as he didn’t actually have a gun during the robberies.
However, he admitted he had no excuses for his behavior.
Cofield was charged with robbing the Truist bank in Lavonia, where documents show on April 12, 2022, he approached a teller and gave her a note that read “Give me $5,000 now or I will shoot you.”
The teller gave him $9,000 in cash and Cofield left, according to the sentencing document.
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The robbery in Alabama occurred a few days earlier in the town of Oxford, where he had a note demanding $3,000. The teller gave him $3,000 and the suspect fled in a Jeep Patriot, the FBI reported.
Later under an interrogation by FBI agent Brian Szczepanski and Franklin County Chief Investigator Jimmy LeCroy, Cofield said he didn’t remember robbing the bank in Alabama adding he didn’t like Alabama because they beat Georgia too many times, apparently in football.
However, when shown photos of him at the crime scene, Cofield agreed it was him, according to the document.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamora Jarrett noted that Cofield faced a prison term of 77 months to 96 months in prison.
However, due to Cofield’s extensive history of robberies and thievery, Jarrett said the full 96 months should be imposed.
Defense attorney Catherine Williams asked for the minimum of 77 months, saying Cofield suffered a series of hard times during and is one of her few clients who accepted responsibility for his actions.
In the sentence, Self also ordered that Cofield pay restitution of $9,000 to Truist and $3,000 to Noble Bank & Trust in Alabama. The judge agreed to suspend interest on the restitution while Cofield is serving time.
Williams said Franklin County officials seized $1,200 from Cofield during the investigation and this should be applied to the restitution.
Self said he would amend the judgment to give him credit for the $1,200 if the status of that money can be determined.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: LaGrange man goes to prison for robbing banks in Lavonia and Alabama
