A Lexington man was indicted for allegedly robbing a bank in
Fayette County in November of last year.
Kerry B. Harvey, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Perrye
Turner, Special Agent in Charge, FBI and Ronnie J. Bastin, Chief of Police for the
Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government jointly made the announcement today.
A federal grand jury in Lexington returned the indictment February 7, charging 38-
year-old William Abshear with one count of bank robbery.
According to the indictment, Abshear used intimidation to take $1,500 from the
Chase Bank on Winchester Road on November 26 of last year.
Court documents allege that Abshear passed a note to the teller demanding that she
put money on the counter. After getting the money, Abshear allegedly fled the bank on
foot.
Lexington Police used surveillance photographs to identify Abshear as a suspect. He
was arrested in Phoenix, Ariz., on December 20.
The investigation was conducted by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County
Government and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elisabeth Brown is prosecuting the
case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
A date for Abshear to appear in federal court in Lexington has not yet been set. If
convicted, Abshear faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. However, any
sentence following a conviction would be imposed after the Court considers the U.S.
Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statutes governing the imposition of sentences.
