MidSouth Bank Robbery Suspect Identified

Rickey Stokes

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Posted by: RStokes
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Date: May 04 2022 8:13 AM

HOUSTON COUNTY:    On Tuesday around noon Houston County Sheriff 911 received a alarm from the MidSouth Bank in Ashford of a robbery.  A armed robbery where a weapon is reported to have been pointed at the bank teller in the drive in window.

Ashford Police and Houston County Sheriff Department responded. When felonies occur such as the robbery in the smaller police departments across the county the Sheriff Department takes lead in the investigation.

The combined effort of Ashford Police Department and Houston County Sheriff Department developed a suspect. The local office of the FBI ( Federal Bureau of Investigation ) and Dothan Police K-9 apprehension unit joined Houston County Sheriff Department and Ashford Police Department in the investigation.

The suspect was located on Pleasant Grove Road which resulted in a stand off. A bail bondsman, Donna Lee, was able to make contact with the suspect on the phone and talked to him to surrender the house.

The suspect, 34 year old Sterling Lee Howell, followed the directives and voluntarily came out of the house with his hands in the air, no hat on, moving slowly with nothing in his hands.

Howell was taken into custody and transported to Criminal Investigation Division of Houston County Sheriff Department for further questioning.

At 6:03 PM Sterling Lee Howell was booked into the Houston County Jail on the charges of Robbery in the first degree - no bond. 

Howell also had outstanding traffic arrest warrants and has charges of Failure To Appear on Failure To Display Insurance Bond $ 300: Failure To Appear for ID Theft $ 500 bond: Failure To Appear for Driving While Suspended $ 300 bond: Failure To Appear for Failure To Wear Safety Belt $ 300 bond: Failure To Appear Open Container $ 300 bond: Failure To Appear for Driving While Suspended $ 300 bond.

Sterling Lee Howell will have first appearance on Thursday before Houston County District Court Judge Benjamin Lewis. At this initial court appearance Howell will be informed of his rights, what he is charged with, the potential range of punishment, his finances checked and if qualifies then Judge Lewis will appoint an attorney to represent him in court.

Houston County Sheriff Department and Ashford Police responded, identified the suspect, located the suspect, had a brief stand off and the subject in custody in about 2 hours and 39 minutes from the crime occurring.

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