News

Bank teller gets prison for aiding in robbery of customer

By Lightning Reports, Published: October 3, 2018

A bank teller who tipped off her boyfriend about a customer who had just made a $25,000 cash withdrawal was sentenced to more than six years in prison after a Henderson County Superior Court jury found her guilty of armed robbery. Her boyfriend was also convicted and received the same sentence.

Christina Robinson, of 10 Adair Court, and her boyfriend, Samuel Angram, 31 Talley Drive, Fletcher, conspired in the robbery along with Angram's brother, Michael, who was previously convicted and sentenced to 11 years in prison. Michael Angram testified in the trial for the prosecution. The cases were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Heather Brittain and Doug Mundy. Superior Court Judge Gregory Horne presided.

Prosecutors say that on May 11, 2017, Marvin Price visited his local bank and withdrew $25,000 cash. Robinson worked at the teller window next to the one where Price received his money. Price then drove back to his Hendersonville home. Security video shown at the trial shows that Robinson left her station and made a phone call immediately after Price took his money and left the bank. The District Attorney established that she called Samuel Angram, who then contacted his brother, Michael. According to a statement made to the sheriff’s department by Michael Angram, Samuel drove him to Price's neighborhood.

When Price parked in his driveway, Michael Angram attacked him from behind and forced him to the ground at gunpoint. Angram demanded Price give him the $25,000 in cash. Price hid the money under his leg while face down on the ground as Angram pillaged Price’s car looking for the money. A fingerprint taken from an envelope in the car matched Angram's and proved he was inside Price’s car.

Information provided by Price led investigators to question all bank tellers. All tellers cooperated with the detectives except for Robinson. Once the Angram fingerprint match was confirmed, he was arrested in Charlotte. He gave a recorded statement implicating Ms. Robinson, Samuel Angram and himself.

“Mr. Price could not get from his car to the door of his home before being forced to the ground at gunpoint,” District Attorney Greg Newman said. “He showed great courage and poise when he hid the money from the robber. Our position all along was that Ms. Robinson set this entire crime in motion when she saw Mr. Price receive his cash at the bank and then called her boyfriend. It began as an inside job and we are very pleased that our jury held Robinson and her boyfriend accountable for their parts in this violent episode."

Price testified that he believed he was going to die. He was able to provide to detectives a description of the gun pressed against his body as well as the color of the shirt the assailant wore. He testified at trial that Angram kept asking specifically for the $25,000 cash. Angram did not get the $25,000, but did get away with Price’s wallet which contained his credit cards, driver’s license and $1,000 cash.