Three found guilty of taking part in violent bank heists, stealing $170k
Courtney Trenell, 34, Devin Hinds, 36, and Joshua Cribbs, 33, all of Memphis, were found guilty of four bank robberies and using firearms during some of those robberies.
Four of their co-defendants have already pleaded guilty.
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Evidence at trial proved that between April 2023 and December 2023, Trenell, Hinds, and Cribbs conspired to rob banks in and around Memphis.
Four of the co-conspirators, Robert Haley, Travis Drain, Marquarius Trenell, and Monterrio Trenell, pleaded guilty to bank robbery and using a firearm during the robberies.
'The bank robberies committed by these seven defendants included gunpoint threats, instilling fear and chaos in innocent victims going about their days,' said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department's Criminal Division. 'Their actions terrorized bank employees and customers alike. We are grateful to our prosecutors, the FBI, and our local law enforcement partners for bringing these dangerous individuals to justice and helping make the Memphis community safer.'
In total, the group stole over $170,000 in cash from five bank robberies. A sixth robbery attempt was unsuccessful and ended in a shoot-out between the co-defendants and an armed security guard, where the robbers shot two victims.
Prosecutors said co-defendants Haley and Drain coordinated the five robberies and one attempted robbery throughout the conspiracy. At the same time, Marquarius Trenell robbed the Truist Bank on Aug. 11, 2023, as well as the Bank of Bartlett with Monterrio Trenell and others on Oct. 20, 2023.
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During the Aug. 11, 2023, robbery of a branch of Truist Bank, Hinds raised a gun and shook it back and forth at a bank customer to instill fear and deter her from notifying law enforcement. He then served as a getaway driver.
Hinds also drove a getaway car during the Dec. 22, 2023, robbery of a branch of the Independent Bank, where a co-defendant pointed a semi-automatic military-style rifle at bank employees.
Courtney Trenell and Cribbs helped rob branches of the Bank of Bartlett and First Horizon Bank on Oct. 20, 2023. The defendants planned to rob the banks, which are directly across the street from each other, at the same time to confuse law enforcement and evade capture.
Cribbs entered the Bank of Bartlett with a trash bag and threatened bank employees into handing over money. Cribbs unknowingly took at least one dye pack, which exploded after the robbers fled, releasing red dye that stained the stolen cash.
Armed robbers hit two Memphis banks minutes apart
During the Bank of Bartlett robbery, Courtney Trenell operated a second getaway vehicle stationed about a mile from the robbery, aiding one of the robbers in fleeing the area.
'The hard work and determination of the FBI and its partners cannot be overstated,' said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. 'We are proud that our actions held these criminals accountable for their harm to the Memphis community.'
At trial, an FBI special agent testified that the defendants spoke over conference calls before and after the robberies, which the government argued was to coordinate the crimes.
An FBI analyst testified that DNA evidence from Courtney Trenell and Hinds was found inside their respective getaway vehicles.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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