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GREENSBORO — The surviving suspect from a bank robbery and roadside shootout with Greensboro police Feb. 9 will plead guilty to four charges in federal court in connection with two robberies, according to an agreement he signed last week.

Christopher O’Neal Patterson, 24, could face up to a life sentence in federal prison and up to $1 million in fines in connection with a robbery spree in January and February of several banks, credit unions and businesses in Guilford and Alamance counties, the agreement says.

The agreement will require him to pay more than $14,500 in restitution to victims. A court date to enter the pleas before a judge and a sentencing date have not been scheduled.

According to court records, Patterson has agreed to plead guilty to:

• The robbery Jan. 19 of the Great Stops convenience store at 728 N. Church St. in Burlington, which will carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
• Brandishing and discharging a firearm in the Great Stops robbery, which will carry a minimum sentence of 10 years.
• Armed robbery of the Wachovia bank at 3608 High Point Road on Feb. 9, which will carry a maximum sentence of 25 years.
• Brandishing and discharging a firearm causing the death of a person in connection with the Wachovia bank robbery — his co-conspirator, Dimarkchrisy Eddie Majors. The plea will carry a sentence of 25 years to life.

Each count also will carry a fine of up to $250,000 and three to five years of federal probation, should Patterson be released. Two of the sentences cannot run concurrently with another.

In exchange for the plea agreement, federal prosecutors have agreed to drop one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, three counts of bank robbery, two counts of armed bank robbery, one count of robbery, and three counts of brandishing and discharging a weapon in the commission of a crime.

Patterson’s attorney, William C. Ingram, did not return a message seeking comment Monday.

Prosecutors declined to comment specifically on the plea agreement.

Patterson still faces a host of state charges that include: bank robbery, discharging a firearm in an act of violence, fleeing to elude arrest, possession of a firearm, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and attempted first-degree murder, among others.

The state is proceeding with its case against Patterson and no plea agreement has been discussed, said Howard Neumann, chief assistant district attorney for Guilford County.

He said if the case goes to trial, it likely would be sometime next year.

After the Feb. 9 robbery, a Wachovia customer who had been pistol-whipped during the crime followed Patterson and Majors from the bank. The customer called 911 and provided turn-by-turn directions of their whereabouts. Police caught up with the suspects on Patterson Street and were met by gunfire.

Near the on-ramp to Interstate 40, the robbers’ vehicle struck Greensboro police officer Matt O’Hal as he attempted to lay down stop sticks.

The suspects ran and got into a gunfight with several police officers. Majors was killed; Patterson was shot and had serious injuries. O’Hal, shot twice, was pulled to safety by a fellow officer.

O’Hal underwent several surgeries and had nerve damage, but was able to return to work Thursday.

Contact Ryan Seals at 373-7077 or ryan.seals@news-record.com