U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Kentucky
LEXINGTON, KY (Monday, July 21, 2025) – Two Nashville, Tenn., men, Markwez Wynn, 26, and Stephen Hampton, 26, were sentenced on Friday, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell to 65 months and 60 months in prison, respectively, for bank robbery by intimidation and/or aiding and abetting bank robbery by intimidation.
According to their plea agreements, from May 2023 until May 2024, Wynn robbed four banks and Hampton participated in robbing three banks located in Tennessee, Indiana, and Kentucky. Wynn robbed one bank in Nashville alone, threatening to kill the teller if an alarm went off. In two of the robberies, while Wynn robbed the bank, Hampton acted as the getaway driver. Wynn was disguised and obtained access to the vault in each of these robberies, getting away with $81,500 and $109,500 in cash, respectively. The last of the series of robberies occurred on May 21, 2024, at a Forcht Bank in Lexington. Wynn and Hampton entered the bank in masks and demanded everyone put their hands up. They obtained access to the vault and took money both from the tellers and the vault. From this robbery, the defendants obtained $181,175 in cash.
As part of their sentencing, Wynn was required to forfeit $84,268 in cash and Hampton had to forfeit $82,037 in cash. Additionally, Wynn was ordered to pay $376,785 in restitution and Hampton was ordered to pay $372,175 in restitution.
Under federal law, Wynn and Hampton must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences. Upon their release from prison, they will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; Joseph E. Carrico, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Nashville Field Office; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Louisville, FBI Nashville, and Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney James T. Chapman is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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