Patrick Richelieu Sentenced on Federal Bank Robbery Charges

PORTLAND, ME—United States Attorney Paula D. Silsby announced today that Patrick Richelieu, age 42, of Kennebunk, Maine, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 130 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $72,281 in restitution. On September 23, 2008, Mr. Richelieu pleaded guilty to seven bank robbery and bank robbery using a dangerous weapon charges. Mr. Richelieu was also sentenced to a consecutive term of 30 months in prison because he committed the bank robberies while he was serving a term of supervised release for a prior federal bank fraud conviction.

According to court records, between November 9, 2006 and December 6, 2006, Mr. Richelieu robbed approximately $105,000 from six branches of Bank of America, Maine Bank and Trust, Citizens Bank, Westbank, and Putnam Savings Bank located in Maine, New Hampshire and Connecticut. Mr. Richelieu also attempted to rob a TD Banknorth branch located in Newington, New Hampshire, but was thwarted by the intervention of a bank customer. In connection with three of the bank robberies, Mr. Richelieu used what appeared to be a silver handgun.

On December 6, 2006, Mr. Richelieu was apprehended by Connecticut State Police as he came out of a Putnam Savings Bank branch located in Griswold, Connecticut, with a bag containing $11,081 in cash just stolen from the bank.

United States Attorney Silsby praised the investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut State Police, and the Police Departments of Portland and Scarborough, Maine; Plainfield, Connecticut; and Newington and Stratham, New Hampshire.