Local Bank Robber Sentenced to Prison for the Robbery of 12 Area Banks
| U.S. Attorney’s Office August 13, 2009 |
ST. LOUIS, MO—Donald Giammanco was sentenced to 76 months in prison and three months supervised release, and was ordered to pay more than $105,000 in restitution, for the robberies of 12 St. Louis area banks, Acting United States Attorney Michael W. Reap announced today.
According to documents filed at the time of the plea, on September 18, 2008 (Count Twelve), the Commerce Bank branch at 487 Old Smizer Mill Road, Fenton, MO, was robbed. During the robbery, a Commerce Bank branch employee became aware that a robbery was occurring and observed the robber. The employee followed him out of the branch and watched him enter his vehicle, a blue Mercury Grand Marquis. The employee made note of the license plate number and provided it and the vehicle description to the police. Utilizing this information St. Louis County Police Officers were able to locate Giammanco in his vehicle driving away from the area of the Commerce Bank. Officers then conducted a traffic stop and took Giammanco into custody.
"For almost a year, Giammanco, known as the Boonie Hat Bandit, terrorized employees at a dozen banks in St. Louis and St. Charles Counties," said John V. Gillies Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in St. Louis. "With this tough economy, almost everyone is financially struggling, but that is not an excuse to rob a bank."
Giammanco admitted during his plea in June, that he robbed the Commerce Bank and further admitted to robbing eleven other banks in the St. Louis area beginning in November 2007, summarized as follows:
- November 2, 2007, Bank of America, St. Charles, MO for $6,064;
- December 18, 2007, Bank of America, Mid-Rivers Mall Circle, St. Peters, MO, for $17,550;
- December 31, 2007, Bank of America, St. Peters, MO, $26,000;
- February 1, 2008, Bank of America, Chesterfield, MO, for $1,298;
- February 29, 2008, US Bank, Crestwood, MO, for $ 2,841;
- March 28, 2008, Bank of America, Fenton, MO, for $5,578;
- April 10, 2008, Commerce Bank, Maryland Heights, MO, for $9,565;
- May 5, 2008, Commerce Bank, Chesterfield, MO, for $3,189;
- May 5, 2008,Bank of America, St. Peters, MO, for $10,823;
- June 10, 2008, Bank of America, St. Peters, MO, for $16,714;
- August 29, 2008, Bank of America, Wildwood, MO, for $6,291; and
- September 18, 2008, Commerce Bank, Old Smizer Mill Rd, Fenton, MO, for $12,614.
Giammanco, 45, Florissant, MO, appeared today for sentencing before United States District Judge Catherine D. Perry.
Reap commended the work on the case by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the St. Charles Police Department, the St. Peters Police Department, the Chesterfield Police Department, the Crestwood Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department and Assistant United States Attorneys Cristian Stevens and Ray Meyer, who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.