BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—A 19-year-old man has pleaded guilty in federal court to robbing a credit union and taking hostages.
Cedrick Larm Collins entered the guilty plea related to a robbery at Alabama Credit Union in Tuscaloosa in January. Collins was arrested during the robbery after the University of Alabama Police Department responded to a call about suspicious activity at the credit union. When officers arrived, they discovered that Collins had taken several employees hostage.
To gain entrance to the CU, Collins forced his way in early in the morning and held an employee at gunpoint with what turned out to be a BB gun. He proceeded to take 10 more employees hostage as they arrived at work.
Police later apprehended Collins, and no one was harmed.
A sentencing date has not been set. The maximum prison sentence for bank robbery is 20 years. The hostage charge carries a minimum sentence of 10 years.