Cape Cod Man Pleads Guilty to Multiple Bank Robberies

BOSTON—A Yarmouth was convicted today in federal court of two counts of bank robbery.

DENIS TAYLOR, 38, of Yarmouth, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge George A. O’Toole to two counts of bank robbery. At today’s plea hearing, the prosecutor told the court that had the case proceeded to trial, the government’s evidence would have proven that on December 14, 2009, an individual, later identified as Taylor, entered the Rockland Trust Bank in Yarmouth. The individual approached a teller and passed her a note demanding money. After the teller handed the individual $9,560 in U.S. currency, he fled the bank. Through bank surveillance cameras, the individual was described as a heavy-set white male with dark sunglasses and a black hooded sweatshirt with a distinctive design on the front and back. Surveillance pictures were disseminated to local media and appeared in the Cape Cod Times on December 15, 2009.

On December 23, 2009, an individual described as a heavy-set white male entered the TD Bank on RT 28 in Yarmouth. The individual approached a teller and demanded money. The teller handed the individual $3,261 in U.S. currency and then fled the bank. Bank surveillance cameras captured images of this individual, who appeared to fit the description of the individual who robbed the Rockland Trust Bank on December 14, 2009. Images from the surveillance camera were again published by the local media and the Cape Cod Times.

Soon thereafter, Yarmouth Police received a tip from an individual who recognized the person depicted in the aforementioned surveillance photos as Denis Taylor, of Yarmouth. Taylor was located in Yarmouth a few days later and arrested without incident.

Judge O’Toole scheduled sentencing for May 10, 2011. Taylor faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Richard DesLauriers, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Boston Field Division made the announcement today. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Bank Robbery Task Force which consists of local, state, and federal authorities, the United States Marshals Service, and the Yarmouth Police Department.

It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Ortiz’s Major Crime Unit.