The bank robbery case that has stretched from May 2009 to this week finally came to a close when the suspect charged with the crime entered a guilty plea in federal court.
Chad Floyd Jeter was plead guilty Tuesday to charges of robbing the First National Bank and Trust in Atmore. That incident more than two years ago, lead law enforcement officers on a chase that spanned two states.
Jeter was accused of robbing the downtown location of First National Bank and Trust on May 19, 2009 and was later charged with attempted murder for his actions while on the run in a Levy County, Fla. marsh. The suspect reportedly stabbed a police officer with a Chinese throwing star during an altercation. Officials in Florida later dropped charges stemming from the altercation.
Surveillance video captured Jeter at the time of the incident, armed with a .22-caliber semi-automatic rifle, demanding money from a teller at First National Bank &Trust and making a getaway with an undisclosed amount of cash in an older model, white GMC pick-up truck with a camper shell.
Following Jeter’s arrest his competency came into question. Following his capture, he was sent to a federal facility in Miami. According to published reports, it was there that the medical staff diagnosed him as a paranoid schizophrenic and determined he did not understand the nature of the charges, nor could assist in his own defense.
However, following evaluations by medical teams and subsequent treatment, Jeter was deemed competent to stand trial on the charges against him. Chief U.S. District Judge William H. Steele endorsed the ruling last month. Steele is the judge who also accepted Jeter’s plea this week.
Jeter is believed to have stolen nearly $7,000 in the 2009 incident.
Sentencing for Jeter has been set for Sept. 13, 2011 in a Mobile federal court with Steele as presiding judge.