WILLIAM B. ALEXANDER
Greenwood, S.C.; December 12, 2019 – A Troy man was sentenced Thursday to 18 years in prison after pleading guilty to the 2018 robbery of the Wells Fargo Bank in Uptown Greenwood, 8th Circuit Solicitor David M. Stumbo announced.
William Bryan Alexander, 50, of Troy, pleaded guilty Thursday to charges of entering a bank with intent to steal, first-degree assault and battery, and failure to stop for blue light. Circuit Judge Letitia Verdin then sentenced Alexander to 18 years in prison on the bank robbery charge, 10 years in prison on the assault charge, and three years in prison on the failure to stop charge. The sentences for assault and battery, as well as the failure to stop for a blue light, are the maximum allowed under state law. The bank robbery charge is considered a serious offense and Alexander must serve a minimum of 85 percent of the sentence before he can be considered for release.
At about 9:45 a.m. on November 15, 2018, Alexander walked into the Wells Fargo branch located at 105 Main Street in Uptown Greenwood and passed a note to the teller saying there was a bomb inside the bank and that he had the detonator. The teller handed over more than $6,000 before Alexander fled the bank.
Police were immediately dispatched and spotted Alexander in a black Toyota Highlander fleeing the scene. Alexander led police on a chase down Cambridge Avenue and onto Old Ninety Six Highway where Alexander intentionally rammed a police vehicle multiple times, once directly in the driver’s side door. Alexander was eventually located and arrested at a residence on Reedy Creek Road.
Deputy Solicitor Yates Brown handled the case for the State, with assistance from 8th Circuit Investigator Windy Chappell. Alexander was represented by Walt Whitmire of the Greenwood Public Defender’s Office.
Solicitor Stumbo praised the work of his staff, along with the quick and effective response of the Greenwood Police Department and the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office, in securing the conviction and lengthy prison sentence.
“William Alexander took a beautiful Fall morning in Uptown Greenwood and turned it into one of chaos and fear. We are blessed that this incident did not end with anyone involved being seriously hurt or killed,” Solicitor Stumbo said following the plea proceeding. “My office will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with law enforcement to do everything in our power to keep our community safe.”