Sanders

I. BACKGROUND

Defendant Raykee Sanders planned to rob a bank on Sep- tember 17, 2003, with Madrid Hopkins and Eugene Hamilton. Sanders told Hopkins that he should enter the bank and give the teller a note demanding money. Hopkins enlisted his friend, Leon Walker, to assist him in the planned robbery. Walker wanted to bring a gun into the bank. Walker and Hop- kins told Sanders that Walker intended to bring a gun into the bank, and Sanders reiterated that a note would be sufficient. Sanders went on to state “that’s cool, too, if you—I guess if you want to use a gun, use a gun.”

Sanders, Hopkins, Hamilton, and Walker abandoned their initial attempt to rob the bank on September 17, 2003, because police cars were in the area. They returned the next day and Sanders and Hamilton acted as lookouts while Hop- kins and Walker entered the bank. Inside the bank, Walker waved the gun in the air and told everyone to get down. Hop- kins grabbed the assistant manager by the arm and demanded she take him to the vault. Once there, the assistant manager and another employee placed approximately $24,000-$25,000 in a bag. Hopkins then fled with Walker. They were caught shortly after the robbery…