Franklin Man Convicted in String of Robberies

NORFOLK, VA—Steven V. Parker, 43, of Franklin, Virginia, pleaded guilty today to committing a string of bank robberies.

Kathleen M. Kahoe, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Royce E. Curtain, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Norfolk Office, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by United States District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Parker was indicted on July 10, 2013, by a federal grand jury on seven charges of bank robbery. He faces a maximum penalty of 80 years’ imprisonment when he is sentenced on December 18, 2013.

In a statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Parker admitted to his role in a string of bank and credit union robberies across multiple Tidewater cities. During each robbery, Parker concealed his identity with a different baseball hat and sunglasses. After entering each financial institution, Parker passed the teller a note demanding United States currency in large denominations and warning the teller not to activate any alarms or include a dye pack—a common anti-theft device—with the currency. Each teller complied. Parker then produced a dark blue zippered bank bag, placed the currency inside, retrieved his note, and left the bank. As Parker fled the scene of the last robbery in his string—on May 16, 2013—law enforcement located him and took him into custody after a vehicular chase through multiple cities.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Chesapeake, Hampton, Isle of Wight, Newport News, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney V. Kathleen Dougherty is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.