ABERDEEN — A Greenwood man has been sentenced to more than 16 years in federal prison for the 2025 armed robbery of a Regions Bank branch in Greenwood.
Senior U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock sentenced 48-year-old Earl Blue to 200 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Blue also was ordered to pay $5,300 in restitution to the bank.
Blue previously pleaded guilty to robbing the Regions Bank branch on May 15, 2025.
According to federal prosecutors, Blue entered the bank and initially told employees he wanted to open an account. After waiting for a period of time, he approached a teller, pointed a handgun at her and demanded money.
The teller complied, and Blue fled with some cash.
The Greenwood Police Department and the FBI quickly identified Blue as the suspect. He was arrested the following day by the U.S. Marshals in St. Louis, Missouri, where authorities recovered a significant amount of the stolen money from him.
U.S. Attorney Scott Leary praised the work of investigators and prosecutors in the case.
“We’ve been dealing with bank robbers for awhile now, and it takes honorable people to bring them to justice,” Leary said. “By working together, law enforcement can accomplish so much more in protecting the public from dangerous criminals.”
FBI Jackson Field Office Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff said the sentence sends a message that armed bank robbery carries serious consequences.
“Bank robbery is not an easy payday — it’s a serious federal crime and perpetrators will be held accountable,” Eikhoff said.
Greenwood Police Chief Serafin Simon Jr. said the sentence reflects the department’s commitment to holding violent offenders accountable and protecting the community.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Herzog Jr. prosecuted the case.
