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Serial Bank Robber Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison

U.S. Attorney’s Office November 22, 2010
  • District of Rhode Island (401) 709-5000

PROVIDENCE, RI—A Warwick, Rhode Island man was sentenced Friday to 46 months in federal prison for robbing three Providence banks in six days in December 2009. Tarik Metts, 27, was arrested shortly after the third robbery after his mother identified him from bank surveillance photographs. Metts was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2010 on three counts of bank robbery.

The sentence, which was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith, was announced by U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha.

At Metts’ change of plea hearing in July, Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie S. Browne told the court that Metts, on three occasions from December 8 - 14, 2009, presented notes to bank tellers at three different banks announcing a robbery, telling them to remain calm and demanding cash. In each instance, Metts recovered his note from the tellers and then fled with cash.

On December 8, Metts robbed a Sovereign Bank branch on Elmgrove Avenue of $2,171; on December 10 he robbed the Turks Head branch of Bank Rhode Island of $2,217; and on December 14 he robbed the Citizens Bank branch at 700 Hartford Avenue of $1,771.

A short time after the robbery on December 14, Metts was located by Providence Police in a restaurant parking lot. Officers recovered $720 from his pants pocket along with a note that read, "You're Being Robbed Remain calm act normal No Alarms, No Dye Packs, 100's 50's 20's Both Drawers You Have 30 Seconds" (text is exactly as it appeared in the note).

When questioned, Metts denied any involvement in the robberies and denied he was the person in bank surveillance photographs. Metts' mother was later shown the photographs and she confirmed it was her son.

The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Providence Police Department.

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