Worcester Men Plead Guilty to Armed Bank Robbery

BOSTON, MA—Two Worcester men pled guilty today in federal court to armed bank robbery.

CRAIG SPARKS, 28 and BENJAMIN MICHAUD, 33, formerly of Worcester, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge William G. Young to the January armed robbery of the Bank of America branch located at 625 Moody Street, Waltham.

According to information provided at the plea hearing, Sparks and Michaud entered the Bank of America on January 4, 2010, wearing ski masks and armed with what appeared to be handguns, but which later investigation showed to be BB guns. After ordering the customers to the floor, Sparks and Michaud approached two tellers and demanded money. The tellers, in turn, gave them $10,676 in U.S. currency. The men then fled in a stolen Jeep Cherokee. After switching to another car, they were located and pursued by law enforcement officials. They abandoned their car along Route I95 and fled through a wooded area toward Lexington. Michaud was arrested later that day and Sparks evaded immediate capture but was arrested on February 5, 2010 near Bangor, Maine.

Judge Young scheduled sentencing for January 31, 2011. At that time, Sparks and Michaud each face a maximum possible sentence of 25 years, a maximum term of supervised release of five years and a maximum possible fine of $250,000.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Richard DesLauriers, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Boston Division; Colonel Marian McGovern, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Chief Thomas M. LaCroix of the Waltham Police Department; and Chief Marc J. Corr of the Lexington Police Department made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. Richardson of Ortiz's Major Crimes Unit.