Grand jury convicts Catawba County man of Newton bank robbery, fraud and identity theft

STATESVILLE, N.C. — A Catawba County man has been convicted by a federal grand jury in Statesville of committing a bank robbery, wire fraud and aggravated identity thief, officials announced Friday.

Between June 30, 2020 to March 20, 2021, Spenc’r Denard Rickerson, 35, of Claremont, used false information to apply for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan and multiple Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL).

Evidence from the trail found Rickerson submitted a fraudulent application for a company that did not exist. He allegedly received over $84,233 in funds that were intended to assist businesses impacted by the pandemic.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell presided over the two-day trial which ended Friday. The FBI in Charlotte investigated the case.

On top of the fraudulent loan scheme, Rickerson committed an armed robbery of a BB&T Bank in Newton, trial evidence found. He used the stolen funds from both the loan scheme and robbery to pay bills and buy cryptocurrency, according to trial evidence.

Rickerson is free on bond.

The bank robbery offense he is facing carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The wire fraud charge carries a max penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The other charge he is facing, aggravated identity theft, carries a mandatory two-year prison term.

A sentencing date has not been set.

(WATCH BELOW: No injuries reported in Stanly County bank robbery, sheriff’s office says)

No injuries reported in Stanly County bank robbery, sheriff’s office says

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