Serial Bank Robber Convicted
| U.S. Attorney’s Office September 17, 2009 |
Joseph Pacheco, 34, of Plymouth was found guilty of five counts of bank robbery on September 16, 2009 after a jury trial, United States Attorney Terrence Berg announced. Mr. Berg was joined in the announcement by Andrew G. Arena, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Office.
The jury deliberated for less than an hour before returning the verdict, concluding a trial that began on September 15, 2009, with jury selection before United States District Judge George Caram Steeh.
The evidence presented at trial showed that in October 2007, Pacheco committed a string of five bank robberies in the metro-Detroit area over the course of two weeks. The banks that he robbed were:
- National City Bank, located at 39475 Ann Arbor Road, Plymouth Township, Michigan;
- Chase Bank, located at 32203 Plymouth Road, Livonia, Michigan;
- Charter One Bank, located at 31441 Plymouth Road, Livonia, Michigan;
- Charter One Bank, located at 23220 Farmington Road, Farmington, Michigan;
- Flagstar Bank, located at 3915 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan;
United States Attorney Berg stated, “Bank robbery does not pay. Law enforcement is committed to capturing bank robbers because of the danger they pose to the public, and our office is committed to aggressively prosecuting these crimes. If you rob banks, you will be caught and sent to prison for a long time.”
A sentencing date for Pacheco will be set by the court.
The defendant faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each of the five counts of conviction. The actual sentence imposed if convicted would depend on a number of factors, including the defendant’s criminal record (if any), and advisory Sentencing Guidelines.
U.S. Attorney Berg commended the law enforcement agencies that were involved in arresting Pacheco and investigating this case, including the FBI, Plymouth Township Police Department, Livonia Police Department, Farmington Police Department, and Bloomfield Hills Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Louis Gabel.