Southwest Florida Men Sentenced on Federal Bank Robbery Charges

FORT MYERS, FL—U.S. District Judge John E. Steele sentenced Michael James Harrell (33, Fort Myers) and Matthew Rollins (27, Fort Myers) yesterday for armed bank robbery, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, attempted bank robbery, conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery, and conspiracy to use firearms during a crime of violence. These crimes relate to a series of bank robberies that took place in Lee County during the summer and fall of 2011. Harrell was sentenced to 62 years in federal prison. Rollins was sentenced to 42 years in federal prison. A third participant, Maurice Andre Colbert (28, Fort Myers), will be sentenced on June 20, 2013.

According to evidence presented at trial, from June 6, 2011 through October 7, 2011, Harrell, Rollins, Colbert, and another individual conspired to rob area banks with firearms. In addition to the conspiracy, the jury found that the men were guilty of armed robbery and related weapons charges related to robberies of the following financial institutions: Lee County Postal Employees Credit Union (Harrell, Colbert—June 6, 2011); Wells Fargo Bank, Lehigh Acres (Harrell, Rollins—August 12, 2011); and Preferred Community Bank, Lehigh Acres (Harrell, Rollins—August 31, 2011).

The jury also found all three men guilty of the attempted robbery of the following financial institutions: Wells Fargo Bank, Bonita Springs (September 14, 2011—Harrell, Rollins, Colbert); Capital Bank, Fort Myers (October 4, 2011—Harrell, Rollins, Colbert); Fifth Third Bank, Fort Myers (October 7, 2011—Harrell, Colbert).

This case was the result of a cooperative investigative effort among the following federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies: the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Myers Police Department, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, Collier County Sheriff’s Office, Cape Coral Police Department, Punta Gorda Police Department, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey F. Michelland.