UPDATE 5/3/12
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A Tennessee man who admitted to holding up two banks in West Virginia is going to prison.

Charles Jeffrey Asher, 52, was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison on Thursday in federal court.

Asher admitted that on August 23, 2011, he showed a replica pistol and demanded cash from the teller at the First Priority Federal Credit Union in Barboursville. He said he dressed as a security guard and threatened to shoot the tellers if they didn't give him the money. He got away with $14,590.

Less than two months later, Asher robbed the Branch Banking and Trust (BB&T) in Hurricane on October 3. In nearly the exact same fashion, including the replica pistol and security guard uniform, Asher got away with $15,602.

Asher was arrested at a rest area near Hurricane a few minutes after the BB&T bank robbery.

51-year-old Charles Jeffrey Asher of Nashville entered the plea Monday in U. S District Court in Huntington.

The first robbery happened on August 23, 2011 at the First Priority Credit Union in Barboursville. The second robbery happened October 3, 2011 at the Branch Banking and Trust (BB&T) branch in Hurricane.

Prosecutors say than in both robberies, Asher wore a security guard uniform and threatened tellers with a replica pistol. Asher got away with nearly $30,000 in the two robberies.

Asher is scheduled to be sentenced on May 3.

According to court records, Asher was released from a federal prison in Kentucky on Aug. 19, 2011 and taken to a bus station in Huntington. He was supposed to go to a halfway house in Nashville, Tenn., but he never arrived.

On Tuesday, a U.S. District Court Grand Jury in Huntington indicted Charles Asher, 51, of Nashville, Tenn., on two counts of bank robbery.

The first count is for the August 23 armed robbery of the First Federal Credit Union in Barboursville. The second count is for the armed robbery of the BB&T Bank branch in Hurricane on October 3.

If convicted, Asher faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest information.

The FBI says Charles Asher, 51, of Nashville, Tenn., is charged with the October 3 robbery of the BB&T Bank branch in Hurricane.

The robbery happened around 3 p.m. when a man entered the bank, showed a black gun and escaped with cash.

Following the robbery, the FBI says a witness watched the suspect flee the scene in a a beige-colored Nissan Maxima.

Minutes later, Putnam County Sheriff’s deputies located the car at the I-6 rest area in Putnam County.

Deputies then located the suspect hiding near the restroom building at the rest area. The individual, later identified as Asher, was taken into custody and a black backpack and the car were secured.

During a search of the car, agents found a black replica Beretta pistol, and money. They said some of the money was bundled in wrappers bearing the BB&T logo.

Also recovered, a photograph of the bank and a notebook that contained the bank's operating hours and other information.

Asher is currently being held at the Western Regional Jail on state charges.

He is expected to be taken into Federal custody and make an initial appearance before a United States Magistrate judge in Huntington.

If convicted Asher faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.

Mullins says officers arrested Charles Asher, 51, of Kentucky, minutes after the BB&T branch in Hurricane was held up Monday afternoon.

Police say Asher walked into the bank armed with a gun and demanded money from a teller.

After leaving the bank, the bank manger saw the suspect get into car at a gas station next door to the bank. The description was then relayed to police.

Within 15 minutes, the suspect was spotted at the rest area along I-64. Hurricane Police tell WSAZ.com that Asher was captured running across a field at the rest area.

Police say they recovered the gun used in the robbery. They are still waiting to search the car.

Asher has been charged with armed robbery. He is being held in the Western Regional Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail.

Hurricane Police also tell WSAZ.com that Asher was recently released from prison and had failed to show up at a halfway house. The say he has a long criminal record. No other details have been released.

Police have not released why Asher is wanted by federal authorities.

Hurricane Police Chief Mike Mullins says officers arrested Charles Asher of Kentucky Monday evening.

Asher is accused of walking into the BB&T in Hurricane just before 3:30 p.m. Monday. Police say he had a gun and demanded money from a teller.

Asher is charged with armed robbery

Mullins says Asher is also a federal fugitive, but the exact nature of those charges was not clear.

Hurricane Police Chief Mike Mullins says a man dressed in black walked in the BB&T bank just before 3:30 on Monday. The man had a gun and told the teller he wanted $50s.

The bank manager saw a man with the suspect's car description at the gas station next door -- that's where he was caught by police. That man is now in custody.

Chief Mullins says police are now waiting on a warrant to search the suspect's vehicle which has a "large bulging bag" in the front seat. Police believe the bag may be holding stolen money from BB&T.

Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest information.

Putnam County 911 Dispatchers tell WSAZ.com it happened at the BB&T in Hurricane at the corner of Route 19 and Route 34 about 3:30 p.m.

Dispatchers say it appears the robber had a gun, but it's still unclear if the person got away with anything.

We have a crew headed to the scene. Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the very latest information.

It happened about 2:45 p.m. Tuesday at the First Priority Federal Credit Union on U.S. Route 60 East.

Barboursville Police tell WSAZ.com the man walked up to the counter, showed a gun in his waistband and demanded cash.

Officers say he got away with an undisclosed amount of money.

The suspect is a white male, 5'9-6'0 tall in his 30s-40s.

He was last seen wearing a black shirt, black pants, white tennis shoes and a black hat that read "security" in white letters.

Anyone with information is asked to call Barboursville Police.