Harvey L. Bryant, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Virginia Beach, announced today that Wilbert Antonio Banks Jr., age 30, of the 700 block of W. 38th Street in Norfolk, Virginia, was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge A. Bonwill Shockley for charges of Abduction (3 counts), Armed Burglary, Attempted Robbery (2 counts), Wearing a Mask in Public, Conspiracy, Use of a Firearm (5 counts), and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Judge Shockley sentenced Banks to 76 years with 48 years suspended, leaving 28 years to serve.
Wilbert Antonio Banks Jr. was found guilty by Judge Shockley after a trial on June 6, 2012. The Commonwealth’s evidence proved that on the night of September 22, 2011, Wilbert Banks Jr. and two co-conspirators knocked on the door of a home in the Indian Lakes area of Virginia Beach and yelled, “Police!” Masked and armed with handguns, they kicked in the door and began demanding money from a man inside. This victim was ordered upstairs at gunpoint, where the rest of his family was located. Banks’ co-conspirators fled when Virginia Beach police officers arrived. Banks jumped out a second-story window and an officer jumped out after Banks as a chase ensued. Banks was caught and arrested.
Banks has prior convictions in two other South Hampton Roads cities for Receiving Stolen Property, Possession with Intent to Distribute between ½ oz and 5 pounds of Marijuana, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Public Intoxication, Failure to Appear, and multiple Violations of Probation.
This case was prosecuted by Senior Commonwealth’s Attorney S. Catherine Dodson. Please contact Macie Pridgen if additional information is desired.