Wesley Sorrow, Bank Robbery, Georgia 2023

MACON, Ga. – A federal jury convicted a Lizella, Georgia, resident for bank robbery just a week after being released from federal prison for previously robbing a bank. Wesley Sorrow, 50, of Lizella, Georgia, was convicted of bank robbery following a three-day trial that began on Monday, Nov. 15.

Sorrow is facing a maximum 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on Feb. 1. There is no parole in the federal system. Bank robbery is a federal crime that carries serious consequences, of which Sorrow is well aware.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Sorrow was seven days into his residency at a halfway house after being released from federal prison for a June 2009 bank robbery conviction in the Middle District of Georgia. On May 21, 2019, Sorrow walked into the American Pride Bank on Forsyth Road in Macon and presented a note to the bank teller demanding money.

Sorrow took the cash and left the bank, returning to the halfway house. Sorrow was captured later that day and cash stolen from the bank was recovered from his locker. Sorrow has a lengthy criminal history, including bank robbery, robbery and forgery.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joy Odom and Robert McCullers are prosecuting the case.

“Being in federal prison was apparently not enough of a punishment for Sorrow to learn his lesson because within a week of being released he went right back to his criminal tendencies,” said Chris Macrae, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Thanks to the assistance of the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, he will receive more time in federal prison where he will be off the streets and unable to terrorize our community.”

“Wesley Sorrow is yet another criminal who will soon learn the certain and lengthy penalties for violating federal level crimes. We can hope the penalty for this conviction will effectively end his 30-year crime career,” said Bibb County Sheriff David Davis.

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