Cochran man sentenced to 13 years in federal prison for Savannah bank robbery

David Wayne Stanley ordered to pay restitution and serve additional prison time for violating supervised release

SAVANNAH, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A Cochran man has been sentenced to more than 13 years in federal prison for robbing a Wells Fargo Bank in Savannah, according to a news release from the office of Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker also ordered David Wayne Stanley to pay $6,677 in restitution and serve three years of supervised release after his prison term. Stanley will serve an additional 12 months for violating his supervised release from a prior conviction.

Stanley, who pleaded guilty to the October 2023 bank robbery, threatened tellers with a gun and demanded cash. He was arrested at his home after Chatham County Police and FBI investigators identified his vehicle as the getaway car.

“This significant sentence will protect the community while he’s behind bars, and hold him accountable for his most recent crime,” Steinberg said.

Stanley’s criminal history includes a 2016 federal conviction for a Savannah bank robbery and a state prison sentence in Texas for robbing seven banks in 2009. He was on supervised release at the time of the 2023 robbery and faces additional charges for recent bank robberies in Texas.

Chatham County Police Department Acting Chief Julie Tolbert praised the swift action of investigators.

“Our detectives quickly identified the suspect and had him in custody within days of him committing this crime,” Tolbert said. “We’re proud of the tireless efforts of all the law enforcement officers who took an active part in making sure this case was solved quickly.”

The FBI and the Chatham County Police Department conducted the investigation, with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley R. Thompson and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Makeia R. Jonese.