Manassas woman sentenced for robberies, carjackings, drug ring

Stephanie Lynn Schwab, 27, of Manassas, has been sentenced to 132 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for carrying out three bank robberies, stealing and carjacking three cars she used in those robberies, and participating in a heroin distribution ring operating out of Manassas. Schwab was also ordered to pay more than $24,000 in restitution.

Schwab pleaded guilty on April 5, 2012.

According to a statement of facts filed with her plea agreement, from Nov. 18, 2011, through Nov. 30, 2011, Schwab robbed or attempted to rob three local banks of thousands of dollars, claiming to have a gun and threatening them with violence if they did not comply with her demands. For each robbery, Schwab either stole or took by force a car that she used to travel to and from the crime scene.

In addition, Schwab admitted her participation in a separate case involving a heroin trafficking ring that purchased large supplies of heroin from sources in New York and the Washington, D.C.-metro area and distributed the heroin to customers in Manassas from 2009 through 2011.

Schwab was apprehended by the Fairfax County Police Department following her attempted robbery of a bank on Nov. 30, 2011. After leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase on I-495 onto a local road in Montgomery County, Md., she turned the stolen vehicle into oncoming traffic and caused a three-vehicle crash. She tried to flee on foot but was caught and arrested by the pursuing officer.