Palmer Man Indicted for Bank Robbery

ANCHORAGE—United States Attorney Karen Loeffler announced that a Palmer man was indicted by a federal grand jury in Anchorage for bank robbery.

The one-count indictment names Shaun Joseph Vehlewald, 30, of Palmer, Alaska, as the sole defendant.

According to the indictment, it is alleged that on May 2, 2009, Vehlewald robbed the Credit Union 1, located at 3525 Eureka Street, in Anchorage, Alaska, of $1,416.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Retta Randall, who presented the case to the grand jury, indicated that the law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under federal sentencing statutes, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Anchorage Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.