Mother of Teen Bank Robber Planned Heists, Police Say

The mother of a 17-year-old Texas teen who was sentenced to 30 years in prison for armed bank robbery has been charged with planning the robberies and taking part in one of them. Diedre Blackburn has also been charged with five counts of aggravated robbery.

Her son, Charles Blackburn Jr., was sentenced for robbing the same Austin bank twice using a gun.

The jury found the teen guilty of the armed robberies in spite of the fact that he used an unloaded BB gun during the crime. But investigators said the teen was just doing what his mother told him.

Police said that Diedre Blackburn (pictured) helped plan two robberies in Austin in January and two others in a Round Rock bank in December and January. She was inside the bank during one of the hold-ups.

Her trial is scheduled to begin December 1.

See Also:
Teen Bank Robber's Mother Also Charged in Suburban Austin Hold-Ups

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