Serial Bank Robber In The Carolinas Sentenced To More Than 10 Years In Prison

WCCB Web Staff, Caryn Little,

The Latest:

A federal judge sentenced a serial bank robber, who pleaded guilty for robbing several banks in both North Carolina and South Carolina, to more than 10 years in prison, according to a news release.

John Johnson, 65, was sentenced to spend 130 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release in connection with a series of armed bank robberies he committed in 2019.

Johnson pleaded guilty to the following crimes:

  • July 3, 2019: BB&T on Meeting Street in Charleston, S.C. – Officials say Johnson entered the bank, passed a demand note written on an envelope to a teller that read, “I have a gun. Give me $100s and $50s.”
  • July 23, 2019: First Bank on Market Street in Wilmington, N.C. – Johnson entered the bank, passed a demand note to the teller, threatening to kill the teller and asking for cash.
  • July 31, 2019: BB&T on Main Street in Mount Holly, N.C. – Johnson entered the bank, passed a demand note written on an envelop to a teller that read, “I have a gun in my shorts. Give me all your 50s and 100s. Don’t make me kill you. Don’t make me shoot you.”
  • August 23, 2019: TD Bank on Greenville Highway in Hendersonville, N.C. – Johnson entered the bank, passed a demand note to the teller that read, “This is not a joke, I have a gun, I will kill you.”

Johnson was arrested in Charleston in September 2019.  On February 3rd, he pleaded guilty to bank robbery charges.

Original Story (Posted August 2, 2019):

MOUNT HOLLY, N.C. — The Mt. Holly Police Department is asking for assistance identifying a man wanted in connection with a Mount Holly bank robbery.

Police say on Wednesday, July 31st, a man entered the BB&T on South Main Street near the intersection of Catawba Avenue and handed the teller a note.

He is described as a white male in his 50’s, clean shaven and between 5’8″ and 6′ tall. He was wearing a light pink shirt, beige shorts and a ball cap with a NIKE logo on the front.

He was last seen entering a beige or silver Nissan Altima.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Mount Holly Police Department at 704-827-4343.