Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing the Same Bank Three Times

ROCHESTER N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Edward Brown, 51, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty to bank robbery before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa M. Marangola, who is handling the case, stated the defendant entered the Citizens Bank at 40 Franklin Street in Rochester on June 25, 2014 and told the teller “I got a gun in my waist, I don’t want anybody to get hurt. Give me money in small bills.” The teller gave Brown a specific amount of money.

On July 31, 2014, the defendant entered the same Citizens Bank, approached a teller and said “Give me money in small bills.” The teller again gave Brown a specific amount of money.

The defendant entered the Franklin Street branch a third time on August 4, 2014. On that date, Brown told the teller “I have a gun and I’ll use it.” Once again, the teller gave Brown a specific amount of money.    

The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Rochester Police Department’s Major Crimes and Tactical Units, under the direction of Chief Michael Ciminelli, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the NYS Department of Corrections and Community Service under the direction of Acting Commissioner Anthony J. Annucci.