88 Years for North Myrtle Beach Bank Robbery Crew

Florence, South Carolina – A trio of armed robbers learned a harsh lesson in federal court this week, receiving a combined 88 years in prison for the 2016 holdup of a South State Bank in North Myrtle Beach and the ensuing chaos that followed. Lance Hardiman, Justin Pressley, and Rodrick Berklery, all 28 at the time of the crime, faced the music after a jury conviction and guilty pleas revealed a brazen daylight robbery quickly escalating into a dangerous high-speed chase punctuated by gunfire.

The May 4, 2016 robbery unfolded with chilling efficiency. Hardiman, Pressley, and Berklery, masked and gloved, stormed the South State Bank, brandishing handguns and leaping over the teller counters. Witnesses testified they threatened the lives of bank tellers, forcing them to hand over over $30,000 in cash. A silent alarm was triggered, and bank employees managed to include a dye pack in the stolen money, as well as a description of the getaway vehicle – a silver Chevrolet Impala.

The escape quickly devolved into a five-mile pursuit. A North Myrtle Beach Police detective spotted the Impala and initiated a traffic stop. The suspects responded by fleeing at high speed and opening fire on the officer. Pressley allegedly unleashed a barrage from an AK-47 out the back window, while Hardiman fired from the passenger side. The chase snaked through a residential area, with the suspects reaching speeds exceeding 80 mph, indiscriminately shooting at the pursuing officer and endangering other motorists. The officer’s vehicle was struck twice, with one bullet narrowly missing him.

The chase continued towards Longs, South Carolina, where one of the defendants resided. The suspects continued firing as they drove, ultimately crashing the Impala after Berklery attempted to avoid spike strips deployed by another responding lieutenant. Hardiman fired at the lieutenant, hitting his vehicle. The three men then abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot into a dense wooded area, triggering a massive manhunt involving multiple law enforcement agencies – North Myrtle Beach Police, Horry County Police, SLED, SCDNR, Myrtle Beach Police, and the FBI.

Within an hour, Pressley was apprehended hiding in brush. The trail of the other two led investigators to footprints entering a body of water, one set still wearing shoes, the other barefoot. Hardiman was found hours later, stripped down to shorts and covered in scratches, having apparently thrashed through the undergrowth. Berklery was discovered around 11:30 p.m. in a junkyard, wearing only his boxers and no shoes. The evidence presented in court detailed the premeditation and violent execution of the robbery, and the callous disregard for public safety during the subsequent chase.

The sentences reflect the severity of the crimes. Lance Hardiman received 40 years in federal prison after being convicted of armed bank robbery, witness tampering, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and two counts of using a firearm in furtherance of crimes of violence. Justin Pressley was sentenced to over 15 years after pleading guilty to using a firearm in furtherance of an armed bank robbery. Rodrick Berklery received 30 years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and using a firearm in furtherance of witness tampering. Chief United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell imposed the sentences, each followed by 5 years of court-ordered supervision. Federal sentences do not allow for parole. U.S. Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated the sentences should serve as a deterrent to others considering similar crimes.

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