'Blond Bandit' Pleads Guilty

Stephanie Schwab, dubbed the 'Blond Bandit' after her alleged crime spree last November, pleaded guilty to some of the felony charges against her on Thursday, changing the not guilty pleas she

Schwab was when she crashed her car near the Capital Beltway and Old Georgetown Road following a police pursuit.

In pleading guilty, Schwab will accept a plea agreement from the U.S. Attorney's Office to drop some of the charges associated with the case. Sentencing has been scheduled for July 5.

Initially, Schwab was indicted on six charges related to a throughout two counts of bank robbery, one count of attempted bank robbery and three counts of transporting stolen vehicles across state lines.

In federal district court in Alexandria on Thursday, Schwab pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery for the Nov. 18 robbery at Virginia Commerce Bank in Prince William County, and to another count of transporting a stolen vehicle across state lines, a charge that stemmed from a

She also pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in a conspiracy to distribute heroin, a charge not part of the original indictment. Schwab told the judge Thursday she and her boyfriend, along with another friend, would buy heroin in other states and bring it back to Manassas, where the drug would be repackaged and distributed.

U.S. attorney Sean Tonolli said the office would not pursue the other charges against Schwab.

The bank robbery or vehicle charges carry no minimum sentences. The bank robbery charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison without parole, and transporting a vehicle across state lines has a maximum of 10 years in prison without parole.

The drug charge has a minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison.

In accepting the plea agreement, Schwab waives her right to a jury trial.

The judge in the case said sentencing would happen at a later date.