Bank Robber Sentenced In Quarter Million Dollar Heist

December 5, 2012

A former teller who pleaded guilty to her role in a quarter million dollar bank holdup has been sentenced to prison.

Pamela Steele pleaded guilty to conspiracy for her part in the robbery of the Bank of Brewton in early 2012. She was sentenced to one year and one day in prison. Once released, she will remain on probation for three years. She was also ordered to pay $124,000 in restitution. Steele had faced a maximum prison sentence of 10 yers.

Her accomplice, 43-year old Robin Ann Godwin (pictured) of Century, has also entered a guilty plea in federal court to bank robbery. She faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine when she is sentenced early next year.

According to federal court documents, Godwin formulated a plan with bank teller Pamela Steele to rob the Bank of Brewton.  On February 17, 2012, Godwin entered the Bank of Brewton wearing a blue poncho, a grey fedora, large sunglasses, black face paint, a black Afro wig and body padding. Godwin asked Steele about renting a safe deposit box, and Steele took Godwin into the bank vault.

Once inside the vault, Godwin pulled a large bag out from underneath her poncho and demanded that it be filled with cash. Steele then filled the bag with approximately $255,000 in cash, federal documents state. Steele did not put any bait bills or dye packs in the bag along with the cash. Godwin then fled the bank with the bag full of money.

Godwin was taken into custody April 12 as the FBI raided a small travel trailer located in a campground at 1300 Liahona Trail in Bluff Springs.

“We are executing a search warrant related to a recent bank robbery in Brewton,” James Stewart, a FBI supervisory senior resident agent, told NorthEscambia.com as agents worked to complete their operation.

Nearly a dozen FBI agents from field offices in Mobile and Pensacola spent a couple of hours searching the travel trailer in Bluff Springs Thursday night. Multiple containers of evidence, reportedly including at least part of the $255,000 — were removed by agents and placed into the back of a SUV. Some of the federal agents were  wearing shirts identifying them as members of a “FBI Evidence Response Team”. Working undercover, they would not allow their photographs to be taken, by a NorthEscambia.com photographer.

Campground residents were inside neighboring travel trailers as FBI agents finished executing the search warrant.  Even a couple of hours after federal agents arrived at the campground, some of the neighbors could be seen periodically peeking out of their doors and windows at the travel trailer in “Lot 2″, with it’s patio crowded with lawn chairs and outdoor decorations. Pink flamingo lawn ornaments and potted plants surrounded the patio — nothing making it look out of place for the quiet area just a few feet from the Escambia River.

Pictured bottom inset and below: FBI agents executed a search warrant related to a Brewton bank robbery at this travel trailer on Bluff Springs Road south of Century in April. FBI agents, who were just off camera, would not allow their photographs to be taken. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

7 Responses to “Bank Robber Sentenced In Quarter Million Dollar Heist”

  1. Oh My! on December 6th, 2012 1:50 pm

    This is ridiculous! She should serve way more time than 1 yr!!!

  2. SC on December 5th, 2012 5:45 pm

    Steele ratted Godwin out… in exchange for leniency. That is the only way to explain the light sentence for Steele, being part of a half million dollar bank robbery. That is also the only way the FBI found Godwin. They knew the teller had to be involved to do something as stupid as let that goofy looking dressed up lady into the bank vault. So the FBI came down on her hard and she gave up Godwin.

  3. David Huie Green on December 5th, 2012 5:32 pm

    REGARDING:
    “IF someone walked into your bank wearing some crazy get-up and asked to open a safe deposit box, ummmm, wouldn’t that cause suspicion in itself? ”

    Of course it would, but sometimes it is easier to keep quiet than listen to the verbal outpouring if people are questioned about their attire. It other words, it is possible they thought she was black and would throw a hissy fit if they said anything.

    David for peace and quiet
    law and order

  4. curious on December 5th, 2012 8:10 am

    What I’m curious about is this……………..IF someone walked into your bank wearing some crazy get-up and asked to open a safe deposit box, ummmm, wouldn’t that cause suspicion in itself? I know they say the ‘teller’ was in on it too, but were there no other workers in the bank? I mean, if the teller was an accomplice, she wasn’t a very smart one. I’m sure the first question asked of her was, “why did you take a crazy looking person inside the vault in the first place”. Crazy people.

  5. chris1 on December 5th, 2012 7:02 am

    “She was also ordered to pay $124,000 in restitution”
    Oh yeah, that will happen.
    It is always amazing that people think they can get away with it.
    google.,Woman busted after bragging about bank robbery in YOUTUBE video…

  6. mom on December 5th, 2012 6:33 am

    if she were a man she would have gotten 10 times the sentence….being a female has its advantage i guess.

  7. Duke of Wawbeek on December 5th, 2012 6:02 am

    Godwin would have been better off flying solo. That agent Stuart talks a lot but does not say much. We want to know what led the FBI to the RV park. That Steele lady recieved a year lock up and 3 years probation. Why the probation and time? Just lock em up and be done with them on release makes more sense to me.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News