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From robbery to sentencing
MONTEREY - Bank robbery is a rare occurrence in Highland County; in fact, no one can determine a robbery ever happening here before. A chronological listing detailing the Blue Grass Valley Bank Robbery Oct. 6 last year from inception to sentencing, gleaned from court testimony, is as follows:
¦ Mid-September 2006 - Tommy Lee Brewer of Durbin, W.Va. begins a two-week drug and alcohol binge.
¦ Thursday, Oct. 5 - Brewer steals a truck in Bartow, W.Va. and drives to the home of his sister, Sandy Moyers, in Blue Grass.
¦ Thursday night, Oct. 5 - Brewer, Moyers and her husband, Caroll "Bill" Hinkle Jr., discuss robbing the Blue Grass Valley Bank.
¦ Friday, Oct. 6 - Brewer wakes up and starts drinking and taking drugs. Moyers tells him the bank is open and if he is going to rob it, he'd better do it.
¦ Friday, Oct. 6, 11:30 a.m. - Brewer enters the bank. He later admits to having at least $10,000 from the bank, and to showing a pistol to the teller. Bank cashier Tony Crane said $13,290 was missing from the bank after the robbery. Teller Chanda Sponaugle identified Brewer as the person who robbed the bank. She said she saw him come up behind a female customer she was helping and put a blue bag on the counter and told her to put money in it. "He pulled a gun out," she said. "He said, 'I am not kidding. I am not kidding.'" Brewer had a silver pistol. Sponaugle said she emptied her drawer of $8,481. Teller Barbara Hull was helping customers at the adjoining window at the time. She heard him say, "I ain't kidding," and then saw him point a gun at her and heard him say, "I mean everybody." Hull said she gave Brewer $4,909 in $100s, $50s, $20s and $10s. Bank employee Marianne Harman said she saw Brewer holding a gun. "I saw a gun at shoulder level looking at Chanda and Barbara. I saw them hand money over to him … He moved the gun from Chanda to Barbara who was a few feet away."
¦ Shortly after the robbery Oct. 6 - Brewer flees to his sister's house near Blue Grass. He abandons his stolen truck in the woods nearby. He gives Hinkle $2,000.
¦ Afternoon, Oct. 6 - Brewer's nephew, Dustin Turner, 29, helps Brewer hide the money and the gun used in the robbery in a utility shed near Moyers' house. Turner arranges for a vehicle to take him to Churchville and helps him buy a car.
¦ Afternoon, Oct. 6 - Highland County sheriff Herb Lightner, having found the getaway truck nearby, arrives at the Moyers residence the afternoon of the robbery and asks Turner if there was anyone else in the trailer. Turner says no. At the time, Brewer was in a back room. Turner later says he only heard Lightner ask if there was anything suspicious going on in the area, to which he replied there wasn't. Turner insists he did not know Brewer was involved in the robbery.
¦ Evening, Oct. 6 - Kim Buckholtz and Jason Parker of Churchville pick up Brewer and Turner at the Moyers residence and drive them to Churchville. They later deny knowing Brewer had robbed the bank. Buckholtz later said Turner called her two days before the robbery to prearrange a ride to Churchville.
¦ Weekend of Oct. 6 - Brewer pays $2,500 in cash for a vehicle in Churchville from money stolen from the bank.
¦ The week of Oct. 8 - Hinkle pays nearly $500 in court fees the week after the robbery. Lightner later testifies that Hinkle told him during his investigation that he was having money problems because the weather kept him from working and he was falling behind on house and truck payments.
¦ Tuesday, Oct. 10 - Brewer buys plane tickets for his daughter and himself to go to Colorado.
¦ Wednesday, Oct. 18 - Brewer is arrested by the Frederick Police Department in Weld County, Colo. on a national felony warrant.
¦ Thursday, Nov. 9 - Brewer waives extradition and Highland County deputies escort him back to Virginia.
¦ Wednesday, Nov. 15 - Brewer is arraigned in Highland County district court and bail is set at $100,000. Brewer remains at Middle River Regional Jail in Augusta County until Oct. 5.
¦ March 6 - Brewer testifies in Highland district court against Turner in Turner's trial on a class 1 misdemeanor charge of being an accessory after the fact. Turner is represented by attorney Betty Cauley of Warm Springs. Turner testifies he did not know Brewer had robbed the bank. Turner is found guilty by Judge Gregory Mooney and sentenced to 12 months in jail, the maximum allowed under the law. In making his decision, Mooney said Turner provided assistance to Brewer over "an extended period of time and area. His assistance was not limited to making a statement to conceal Brewer's whereabouts."
¦ June 27 - Hinkle is arraigned in Highland court on charges of feloniously receiving stolen property, knowing it to be stolen, of a value of more than $200. The maximum penalty possible is 12 months in jail and/ or a $2,500 fine. Hinkle, represented by attorney Gordon W. Poindexter Jr. of Waynesboro, pleads not guilty to the charge of receiving stolen goods. Hinkle is found guilty and released on bond awaiting a presentencing report.
¦ Friday, Oct. 5 - Brewer is sentenced to 23 years in prison, with 11 years suspended.
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