‘Shootist’ Couple Plead Guilty to Bank Robbery

A prolific bank robber known as “the Shootist” pleaded guilty Wednesday to committing one armed robbery and agreed to admit to four others.

Johnny Madison Williams Jr., 43, and his wife, Carolyn Marie Williams, 34, are suspected of taking more than $750,000 during 56 banks robberies over eight years in California, Washington and Texas--including several in Irvine, Laguna Niguel, San Juan Capistrano and Mission Viejo.

They pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of armed robbery and one count of use of a firearm in a 1991 heist at a First Interstate Bank branch in the Seattle suburb of Bellevue.

They agreed to plead guilty to four additional counts of armed bank robbery in cases in California and Texas, said Assistant U.S. Atty. Robert Chadwell. They also agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy, which will cover all 56 robberies, Chadwell said.

Williams will face a maximum sentence of 215 years in prison for the crimes in the three states, while his wife will face up to 135 years, the U.S. attorney’s office said.

The Williamses were arrested July 9 at a Seattle-area motel, where investigators recovered a log listing the dates, locations and amounts taken in each bank robbery.

In a typical heist, Johnny Williams would enter the bank, announce the robbery, jump over the counter and fire a pistol shot into the ceiling while demanding money from bank employees, the FBI said. The getaway car often was driven by Carolyn Marie Williams, authorities said.