Cumberland Man Pleads Guilty to Three Bank Robberies

BALTIMORE—John Allen Talerico, age 50, of Cumberland, Maryland, pleaded guilty late yesterday to three counts of armed bank robbery.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Stephen E. Vogt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Cumberland Police Chief Charles H. Hinnant; Allegany County Sheriff Craig Robertson; Frostburg Police Chief Royce C. Douty; Colonel Marcus L. Brown, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; and Allegany County State’s Attorney Michael O. Twigg, of the Combined County Criminal Investigations Unit (C3I).

According to his plea agreement, between March 11, 2011, and September 13, 2011, Talerico committed three armed bank robberies in Cumberland, Maryland. During each robbery, Talerico entered the bank, approached the teller, asked about opening an account, and then pointed what appeared to be a large black semi-automatic handgun at the teller and demanded money. After the tellers gave Talerico cash, he threatened them and demanded more money from the tellers, then fled the bank. On one occasion, when a customer entered the bank during the robbery, Talerico pointed the gun at the customer, telling the customer to “get out of the way.” During the robberies, Talerico wore distinctive clothing, including a knit hat with a brim, and large-framed glasses. Talerico obtained a total of approximately $31,206 from the three bank robberies.

The robberies were captured on bank surveillance video. During a search warrant executed at Talerico’s home on March 30, 2012, numerous articles of clothing matching those worn by the bank robber in the surveillance photos were seized.

Talerico faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison, for each of three counts of armed bank robbery. U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis scheduled sentencing for May 3, 2013. Talerico remains detained.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI, C3I, Cumberland Police Department, Allegany County Sheriff’s Office, Frostburg Police Department, Maryland State Police, and Allegany County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and thanked the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office (WV), Pennsylvania State Police for their assistance. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Budlow and Mark W. Crooks, who are prosecuting the case.