Man pleads guilty in Leland bank robbery

LELAND, NC (WWAY) — The man charged with robbing the Riegelwood Federal Credit Union in December  pleaded guilty in federal court today.

Riegelwood Federal Credit Union robbery investigation on December 22, 2016 (Photo: Helen Holt/WWAY)

Around 8:15 a.m. on December 22, Borenzo Cortez Patrick robbed the RFCU on Andrew Jackson Highway at gunpoint. During the robbery, investigators say Patrick took a violent armed takeover of the credit union and was carrying an AK-47 style assault rifle.

Patrick pointed the rifle at several bank employees and customers, forcing the employees to lay face down on the ground and racking the rifle bolt several times. It was later determined the rifle was unloaded during the robbery.

At sentencing, Patrick faces not more than 25 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines on the charge of armed bank robbery.

On the charge of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, he faces a minimum term of 7 years in prison and up to life in prison, as well as a fine of up to $250,000.