Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Three Armed Bank Robberies
| U.S. Attorney’s Office October 14, 2011 |
BALTIMORE—Gregory McNeil, age 61, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty today to armed bank robbery and using a gun during a violent crime.
The guilty plea 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; Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger; and Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III.
According to his plea agreement, on January 25, 2011, McNeil entered the Wachovia Bank at 860 N. Rolling Road, Catonsville, Maryland, and pointed a handgun at a teller’s face and torso, demanding money. McNeil seized $3,945 placed on the counter by the teller and left the bank.
On February 3, 2011, McNeil entered the M&T Bank at 7210 Ambassador Road, Woodlawn, Maryland, and pointed a handgun at a teller, demanding money. McNeil seized $2,918 placed on the counter by the teller and left the bank.
On Tuesday, February 22, 2011, McNeil robbed the same Wachovia Bank as described above. McNeil approached the same teller whom he had previously robbed, pointed a handgun at her, and demanded money. The teller recognized McNeil as the same man who had previously robbed her. McNeil grabbed $5,249 placed on the counter by the teller and fled.
Bank surveillance tapes depicted McNeil pointing his handgun at the tellers in each robbery. Witnesses described what McNeil wore during each of the robberies and items matching these descriptions were later recovered from the McNeil’s girlfriend’s apartment, where McNeil was living at the time.
As part of the plea agreement, McNeil and the government have agreed that if the court accepts the plea agreement, McNeil will be sentenced to between 20 and 30 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett scheduled sentencing for January 5, 2012 at 9:30 a.m.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Baltimore County Police Department, Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office, and Baltimore City Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Mark W. Crooks, who is prosecuting the case.