Man Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Prison for 11 Bank Robberies and One Attempted Bank Robbery
Admitted Taking Part in 16-Month Robbery Spree

WASHINGTON—Jerome Thomas, 65, was sentenced today to 63 months in prison for a string of bank robberies committed over a 16-month period, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., James W. McJunkin, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

Thomas, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty in May 2011 to 11 counts of bank robbery and one count of attempted bank robbery. He was sentenced by the Honorable James E. Boasberg in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Thomas also was ordered to pay $21,101 in restitution. In addition, upon completion of his prison term, Thomas will be placed on three years of supervised release.

The government’s evidence proved that Thomas engaged in a long-running robbery spree that netted more than $20,000. Each time he robbed a bank, Thomas claimed that he had a gun or a pipe bomb, although no weapon or device was actually seen.

According to the government’s evidence, Thomas was responsible for a large share of bank robberies committed in Washington, D.C. during the time-frame of his crimes. The robberies were investigated by the FBI/MPD Violent Crimes Task Force, which sought the public’s help in identifying a suspect. A tip from a concerned citizen led law enforcement to suspect Thomas.

The robberies typically took place in the late morning or early afternoon, with Thomas handing a teller a note making demands and threats, such as: “I Have a gun in my hand and two pipe bombs in my bag give me a stack of 100’s and 50’s and no one gets hurt.” He typically took the money and fled on foot, leaving the note behind. No one was hurt in the incidents.

“Jerome Thomas committed a string of almost a dozen bank robberies, and even hit one bank twice. He usually claimed to have a gun and sometimes claimed he had a pipe bomb,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “His conduct and threats intimidated tellers and put customers at risk. Although he wore gloves and obscured his face, he ultimately could not avoid detection by the FBI and MPD, and today he was brought to justice for his crimes.”

“Bank robbery is a crime that has plagued major cities like Washington, D.C. for years. This crime usually occurs in broad daylight and can have a high potential for violence because there are often weapons brought to the scene,” said Assistant Director McJunkin. “The FBI/ MPD Violent Crimes Task Force continues to be dedicated to investigating and identifying these criminals, to keep our communities safe.”

Thomas pled guilty to taking part in the following crimes:

• November 23, 2009: Robbery of a Chevy Chase Bank in the 300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE.
• January 6, 2010: Robbery of a Chevy Chase Bank in the 1200 block of Pennsylvania Avenue NW.
• March 8, 2010: Robbery of a Chevy Chase Bank in the 600 block of F Street NW.
• March 12, 2010: Robbery of a PNC Bank in the 600 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE.
• March 25, 2010: Robbery of a Chevy Chase Bank in the 1200 block of F Street NW.
• April 21, 2010: Robbery of a Chevy Chase Bank in the 700 block of Pennsylvania Avenue NW.
• April 26, 2010: Robbery of a Chevy Chase Bank in the 900 block of 15th Street NW.
• May 11, 2010: Robbery of a PNC Bank in the 1100 block of H Street NW.
• May 18, 2010: Attempted robbery of a PNC Bank in the 1900 block of Massachusetts Avenue NW.
• January 12, 2011: Robbery of a Capital One Bank in the 1200 block of F Street NW.
• January 18, 2011: Robbery of a PNC Bank in the 600 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE.
• March 16, 2011: Robbery of a SunTrust Bank in the 1100 block of G Street NW.

The citizen’s tip proved invaluable to law enforcement, which reviewed surveillance photos from the March 16, 2011 robbery in which the robber’s face was clearly visible. Several law enforcement personnel thought the individual in the photos resembled Thomas.

Shortly after the March 16, 2011 robbery, law enforcement responded to Thomas’s home in Southeast Washington to conduct surveillance. About 7 that evening, Thomas arrived at the parking lot of his residence, and he was wearing clothing and jewelry seen in the bank robbery surveillance photos. He also had in his possession about $1,891.

Thomas was transported to MPD, where he was interviewed by law enforcement. When confronted with evidence from the string of robberies, Thomas admitted to each one.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director McJunkin, and Chief Lanier commended the exceptional investigative work of the FBI/MPD Violent Crimes Task Force, including the special agents from the FBI and MPD Detective Elmer Baylor, Jr.

They also thanked those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including legal assistant LaToya Wade and paralegal Sam Reisen, who provided administrative support, and Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Dana, who assisted with asset forfeiture issues. Lastly, they praised Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine K. Connelly, who prosecuted this matter.