Man pleads guilty to bank robbery BY JAMES JACENICH • STAFF WRITER
MONTEREY - Tommy Lee Brewer, 36, of Durbin, W.Va., pleaded guilty Tuesday in Highland County Circuit Court to the Oct. 6, 2006 armed robbery of the Blue Grass Valley Bank.
 | | Tommy Lee Brewer of Durbin, W.Va was more subdued Tuesday than he was here during a March 7 court proceeding as he was escorted by deputies. Brewer has pleaded guilty to the armed robbery of the Blue Grass Valley Bank. (Recorder photo by James Jacenich) |
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Judge Thomas H. Wood accepted his guilty plea and remanded him to the Middle River Regional Jail to await the outcome of a presentencing investigation.
Brewer, appearing in the jail's standard orange jumpsuit, had shaved his head since he testified against his nephew, Dustin Turner, March 7.
Turner had been found guilty of accessory after the fact to the bank robbery and sentenced to 12 months in jail.
Brewer still sported his trademark handlebar moustache, but his arms and face have lost their tan during his months of confinement.
A subdued Brewer said little during Tuesday's hearing, as he answered in the affirmative Judge Wood's questions about whether he understood the charges against him and the consequences of accepting responsibility for the armed robbery.
Brewer said no plea agreement had been made with the prosecutor.
Just before Wood accepted Brewer's guilty pleas, Brewer apologized to the court and Virginia for what he did.
Brewer, represented by court-appointed attorney Linda Royster of Bridgewater, was arraigned Tuesday in circuit court on charges of feloniously, while armed with a deadly weapon, entering a banking house with intent to commit larceny of money, bonds, notes and other evidence of debt; feloniously robbing the Blue Grass Valley Bank putting a person or persons in fear of serious bodily harm by presenting a firearm; and feloniously using or displaying in a threatening manner a firearm (pistol) while committing a robbery.
Brewer had been indicted on the same charges by a grand jury March 20.
Recounting the events surrounding the Oct. 6 robbery, commonwealth's attorney John Lohr said Brewer took $13,290.50 from the bank. Brewer admitted to having at least $10,000 from the bank, and to showing a pistol to the teller. After taking the money from the bank, Brewer fled to his sister's house near Blue Grass.
Lohr said Brewer subsequently fled to Colorado, where he was arrested.
Royster disputed Lohr's contention Brewer fled to Colorado, insisting he "went" to Colorado, but did not "flee."
Brewer waived extradition proceedings in Colorado and returned to Virginia to face the charges.
Robbing the bank with a firearm carries a mandatory three years in prison. The felonies can bring Brewer as much as two life terms plus three years in prison if convicted and the judge decides to go with the maximum penalties.
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