Two Armed Robbers Sentenced to Over 15 Years And 12 Years in Prison for Stealing Over $65,000 from Two Banks

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel sentenced Michael Anthony Heard, age 41, of Washington, D.C. and Earl Michael Kenney, age 56, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, to 181 months in prison and 147 months in prison, respectively, each followed by five years of supervised release, for bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence in connection with the armed robbery of two banks located in Odenton and Rockville, Maryland.

The sentences were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; Interim Chief Henry P. Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare; Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy; and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Wes Adams.

According to their plea agreement, on December 30, 2013, Heard, Kenney and a co-conspirator entered the Old Line Bank on Annapolis Road in Odenton, Maryland.  They each pointed handguns at bank employees and customers, demanded money and fled with $52,751.

On March 11, 2014, Heard and Kenney entered the Wells Fargo Bank located on King Farm Boulevard in Rockville, Maryland.  Heard and Kenney wore masks and brandished handguns.  Heard stood watch within the bank and ordered customers and employees to get on the floor.  Kenney approached the counter, pointed a handgun at a customer and two tellers and demanded money.  The tellers placed money in a bag provided by Kenney.  Kenney pointed his handgun at a third teller and demanded the teller put money in the bag.  Kenney then pointed the gun at each of the tellers and ordered them against the wall and to the floor.  Heard and Kenney fled the bank with $12,898, as well as a concealed GPS tracking device placed in the money by one of the tellers.  

Approximately 45 minutes later, law enforcement found Heard, Kenny and a third individual in an SUV on I-270.  Law enforcement had shut down the highway in order to locate and apprehend the defendants.  Law enforcement seized $7,050 from Kenney, hidden in his socks.  Law enforcement also recovered a loaded .357 revolver, a loaded H&R Inc. Model 949 handgun, ammunition, a black handgun holster, black gloves, two balaclavas, clothing, and a black mesh bag containing $5,789 in cash from the vehicle.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County and Anne Arundel County Police Departments, and Montgomery County and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Offices for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Nicolas A. Mitchell and Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew L. Paeffgen, on detail from the Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention, who prosecuted the case.