Armed Bank Robber Exiled to Over 17 Years in Prison
Was on Supervised Release at the Time of His Arrest for Two Previous Bank Robberies
| U.S. Attorney’s Office August 05, 2011 |
BALTIMORE—U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis sentenced Randolph Burke Wells, age 46, of Baltimore, today to 188 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for armed bank robbery. Judge Garbis also sentenced Wells to 18 months in prison, to be served consecutive to the 188 month sentence imposed, for violation of his supervised release from a previous armed robbery conviction. Judge Garbis enhanced Wells’ sentence upon finding that he is a career offender based on one previous conviction for two armed bank robberies and a conviction for beating a police officer.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Richard A. McFeely of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Baltimore City State’s Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein; and Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III.
According to Wells’ plea agreement, on October 13, 2010, Wells entered the Harbor Bank of Maryland located on West Fayette Street in Baltimore, and pointed what looked like a handgun at a teller. Wells demanded money and the teller placed $3,549 in Well’s bag. Wells left the bank.
The bank’s video system captured portions of the bank robbery. A bank employee recognized the robber as a customer who had presented a check at the same branch during the previous week and identified the man as Wells. The check had been drawn on the account of Wells’ previous employer. A former co-worker was shown a photograph of the bank robber and also identified the person as Wells. The FBI subsequently located Wells living in a hotel room on Pulaski Highway in Baltimore. Wells was arrested with approximately $400 in cash, and the gun and bag that used during the robbery. The gun was determined to be a “BB” gun that looked similar to a fully loaded handgun.
At the time of his arrest, Wells was on supervised release for the previous federal bank robbery conviction.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Baltimore Police Department and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in this investigation and thanked Assistant United States Attorney Sandra Wilkinson, who prosecuted the case.