Serial Bank Robber Sentenced to 151 Months in Prison

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Senior United States District Court Judge Edwin M. Kosik has sentenced Shannon R. Hamilton, age 40, formerly of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, to 151 months’ imprisonment for committing four bank robberies in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, and one bank robbery in Saint Petersburg, Florida.

According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, in June 2010, Hamilton pleaded guilty to committing the robberies of the following banks:

• December 9, 2009 - Wachovia Bank, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania;
• December 14, 2009 - Citizen’s Bank, East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania;
• December 21, 2009 - M & T Bank, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania;
• December 29, 2009 - M & T Bank, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania; and
• January 6, 2010 - Pinellas Federal Credit Union, Saint Petersburg, Florida

During three of the robberies, Hamilton claimed to have a gun and threatened to shoot everyone if the tellers did not cooperate. On January 13, 2010, Officers with the Saint Petersburg Police Department arrested Hamilton in Florida based upon an arrest warrant issued in connection with the Pennsylvania bank robberies. Subsequently, Hamilton admitted committing the robberies in order to obtain money to support a drug addiction.

The conviction of Hamilton was the result of a coordinated investigative effort by the FBI, the Stroud Regional Police Department, and the Saint Petersburg, Florida Police Department.

United States Attorney Smith noted that parole has been abolished, and the defendant will be required to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence, assuming he receives full time off for good behavior while incarcerated. In addition to his sentence of imprisonment, Judge Kosik further ordered the defendant to be supervised by a Federal Probation Officer for three years after serving his jail term.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John Gurganus prosecuted the case.