Local Dispatchers Recognized by Law Enforcement for Work on February Bank Robbery

Five Cumberland County dispatchers from the Emergency 911 Communications center were honored for their part in helping capture a bank robbery suspect involved in a numerous Atlanta area robberies over several months.

Cumberland Co. Sheriff Casey Cox praises the work

of Cumberland Co. dispatchers who were on duty during the

February 3 bank robbery. Due to quick work by dispatchers 

and law enforcement, the suspect was in custody and 

money recovered within 2 hours in Nashville. Also

pictured is Emergency Communications director Rod

Shoap, left, and Police Chief David Beaty, right. 

The suspect was captured less than 2 hours following a robbery February 3rd at Crossville main branch of the Upper Cumberland Federal Credit Union (UCFCU) on Livingston Road.

Dispatchers, Officers, the FBI and officials

In addition to Cumberland County Sheriff Case Cox, Central Communications Director Rod Shoap, Crossville police chief David Beaty and FBI Special Agent Ric Fagan, employees of the UCFCU and family members attended the ceremony.

L-R Sheriff's and Police Challenge coins and FBI pin

presented to dispatchers with recognition.

Sheriff Cox called the effort that resulted in the capture of the suspect in less than 2 hours in Nashville “a great team effort.”

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Cox read from the Exceptional Service Citation that was awarded to the 5 dispatch personnel, “Due to the quick action of dispatchers and law enforcement officers, the getaway vehicle and suspect were identified and tracked to a location in Nashville, Tennessee where the suspect was taken into custody and the stolen cash recovered. A great example of leadership was demonstrated by dispatch supervisor Brandon Patton. Dispatch supervisor Patricia Seagraves provided additional information to the Federal Bureau of Investigation special agents which possibly linked the suspect in this robbery to other similar robberies. In addition, dispatcher Amanda Pugh, Chris Cox and Georgie Heller used their talents, skills, and experience to provide immediate and accurate information that led to the capture of the suspect and recovery of stolen money.”

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Cox added that having been a dispatcher a few years back and that now leaders of law enforcement realize that dispatchers are the heart and pulse that set the pace for how officers act out on the scene.

Crossville Police Chief David Beaty also presented certificates of appreciation and challenge coins to the dispatchers as well. 

Link to story on original robbery 

Atlanta FBI Tweets Capture of Freedom FIghter Bandit with Crossville robbery photo

Based on the photo tweeted by the Atlanta office of the FBI it confirms that the young black woman who allegedly robbed the Crossville Upper Cumberland Federal Credit Union on Saturday was the so-called Freedom Fighter Bandit, who got the name from telling those she robbed in the Atlanta area that she was robbing "for the movement" or "for the streets."

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the "Freedom Fighter Bandit" was captured in Tennessee following a robbery "near Nashville."  Nilsha Urena was wanted for some 9 robberies in the Metro Atlanta area starting in October last year.

Arrest Photo from Davidson Co.

A tweet from the Atlanta office of the FBI this morning announced:

The "Freedom Fighter Bandit" was taken into custody after a bank robbery in TN. #FBI Atlanta believes Nilsa Marie Urena is responsible for as many as 9 bank robberies, most in metro Atlanta.

With the FBI tweet was the photo below that is from a surveillance camera the Crossville Main Office of the Upper Cumberland Federal Credit Union. 

Nilsha Urena in surveillance video at Crossville UCFCU tweeted

by the FBI Atlanta

Urena was captured near Nashville about 2 hours after the robbery of the UCFCU that occurred at about 11:20 AM Saturday morning.  Her name showed up in the Davidson County inmate webpage on Sunday.  

While the name of the suspect in the Crossville Robbery has not been released, the photo tells the story of a notorious Atlanta bank robber who was captured after passing through Crossville. 

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Could Crossville Bank Robber be the so called "Freedom Fighter Bandit?"

UPDATE: Nilhsa Marie Urena is listed as being held in the Davidson Co. Jail under a federal warrant and awaiting trial.  No bond is listed.  It appears that the Freedom Fighter Bandit has been captured.

The suspect in the February 3, 2018, robbery of the Crossville main Branch of the Upper Cumberland Federal Credit Union on Saturday has been captured near Nashville and the Crossville Police press release said she may have been involved in other bank robberies.

Suspect in a string of bank robberies

in Georgia Nilhsa Urena

Photo from a Georgia bank robbery.

The FBI has been looking for a young black female suspect in a string of bank and credit union robberies in Georgia for the last several months.  She may have been involved in as many as 9 other bank robberies starting in October of 2017.  That suspect was identified as Nilhsa Urena, 25, who apparently recruited young and teen black males to assist in the robberies.  Several of the alleged accomplices have been arrested in Georgia.  She is called herself the Freedom FIghter Bandit as she claims the money she robs goes "for a cause."

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Could the Crossville robbery on Saturday, February 3 have been committed by the Freedom Fighter Bandit?  While the identity of the suspect in Crossville's robbery has not yet been released, the possibility seems strong that it might have lead to the capture of the "Freedom FIghter Bandit."

More information as it becomes available.

Grio Article on "Freedom FIghter Bandit"

Atlanta Journal-Constitution Article

Suspect Arrested in Crossville Credit Union Robbery, Investigation Ongoing.

Crossville Police Dept. PRESS RELEASE 

February 3, 2018

On February 03, 2018 at approximately 11:19 am, Crossville Police Officers and Cumberland County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report of a Bank Robbery, at the Upper Cumberland Federal Credit Union on Livingston Road. Officers arrived within minutes, however, the suspect was gone upon their arrival.


A joint investigative effort led Nashville Metropolitan Police and the THP Criminal Investigative Division to locate and apprehend a black female suspect, in Nashville Tennessee, approximately two hours after the robbery. The female suspect, whose name has not been released, has possibly been involved in other bank robberies.

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Crossville Police Department and the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office were involved in the initial investigation, after which, assistance from the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Nashville Metropolitan Police, were paramount in the apprehension. The case will be further investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

This is an active investigation and any other information will be released by the Nashville office of the FBI, as it is available.