Bank Robber Gets Five Years Plus

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that David A. Parker, age 53, of the Burlington area, was sentenced today to 63 months in jail by Chief Judge Christina Reiss in United States District Court in Burlington.

On the morning of November 7, 2013, Parker attempted to rob the TD Bank in Burlington, and that afternoon robbed the Peoples United Bank in South Burlington.  He was arrested by the South Burlington Police Department minutes after the robbery.  Arresting officers also recovered most of the stolen money.  Indicted by a federal grand jury for both offenses on November 14, 2013, on April 8, 2014 Parker pleaded guilty to the Peoples United robbery

At sentencing today before Chief Judge Reiss, Parker, through his attorney, Federal Public Defender Michael Desautels, requested a sentence of 40 months in jail.  Parker personally apologized for his conduct.  Mr. Desautels urged that Parker suffered from mental health problems and alcoholism.  On behalf of the United States, Assistant U.S. Attorney William Darrow sought a sentence toward the high end of the 63 - 78 month Sentencing Guideline range.  Darrow emphasized Parker=s 51 criminal convictions in the State of Vermont, and the fact that he repeatedly had been provided with substance abuse treatment programs by multiple Vermont health care providers.

Imposing the 63 month term, Judge Reiss stated that she would have imposed a higher sentence, but for the mental health issues.  Judge Reiss also ordered Parker to pay the victim bank the $109 that was not recovered at his arrest, and imposed a three-year term of supervised release.

Parker has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since November 8, 2013.  The United States Attorney thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the South Burlington Vermont Police Department, for investigating the case.