Two men arrested in connection to string of bank robberies across Colorado Springs, Fountain

Two men connected to a string of bank robberies throughout Colorado Springs and Fountain have been jailed, authorities said.

Lawrence Wooten, 32, of Colorado Springs, and Chad Williams, 29, of Fountain were jailed in connection with the Sept. 11 robbery of the Academy Bank at 2835 Briargate Boulevard in Colorado Springs and the armed robbery of United Business Bank, 410 S. Santa Fe Ave., occurring Monday afternoon in Fountain.

Wooten and Williams face charges of aggravated robbery and menacing, Fountain police said Thursday in a news release.

Previously, Williams was jailed in connection to the November 2018 robbery of the TCF Bank at 3175 E. Platte Ave., Colorado Springs police said in a written statement Friday. At the time of his arrest, Williams was in possession of several thousand dollars, police said. He posted a $100,000 bond in January 2019.

Through investigation, Colorado Springs police also identified Williams as a suspect in the March 22, 2019 and Sept. 11 robberies of the Academy Bank at 2835 Briargate Boulevard and in the May 7, 2019 robbery of the Key Bank at 3085 South Academy Boulevard, authorities said. 

Last week, police also identified Wooten as the second suspect in the Sept. 11 Academy Bank robbery and obtained a warrant for his arrest Tuesday.

That evening, Williams turned himself into the El Paso County jail for failure to appear for a court hearing regarding the 2018 TCF Bank robbery, as well as a motor vehicle theft, police said.

On Thursday, Colorado Springs detectives located a vehicle used in one of the robberies and surveilled HomeTowne Studios, 3490 Afternoon Circle, where they arrested Wooten after a short foot pursuit, authorities said.

Wooten was allegedly in possession of several thousands of dollars in cash and was booked into the El Paso County jail.

Colorado Springs police also that day obtained a warrant with a $500,000 bond for Williams, charging him with the two 2019 bank robberies and the Sept. 11 bank robbery in Colorado Springs. Williams was served the warrant at the jail, where he remains in custody.

Fountain police on Thursday also charged both men with Monday’s bank robbery.