Dedham Man Arrested On Armed Robbery

BOSTON – A Dedham man previously convicted of armed bank robbery was arrested Friday for allegedly robbing an Attleboro bank in May.

Lawrence J. Costello, 54, was charged in U.S. District Court in Boston by criminal complaint for armed bank robbery.

According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Costello and another individual allegedly entered the Bank of America in Attleboro on May 12, armed with a semi-automatic weapon. Once inside the bank, Costello climbed over the teller’s counter and took $17,687. The robbers were observed fleeing the area in a green Ford pickup truck which had been reported stolen earlier in the day from a garage in Canton. Costello was determined to be one the individuals who participated in the robbery based on DNA matches and witness identification.

Costello appeared before Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy in Boston on June 27 for an initial appearance. He will remain in custody pending his detention hearing on July 15.

The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 and restitution to Bank of America in the amount of $17,687. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically substantially less than the maximum penalties, as they are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Vincent B. Lisi, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Colonel Timothy Alben, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Attleboro Police Chief Kyle Heagney; and Bourne Police Chief Dennis Woodside made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Kenneth G. Shine of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.

The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.