New York Man Sentenced for Bank Robbery

CONCORD, NH—Kamel Pickens, 21, of Albany, New York, was sentenced in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release for his conduct during the commission of three bank robberies, announced United States Attorney John P. Kacavas.

Pickens was charged in a four-count information with aiding and abetting his girlfriend and co-conspirator, Jeliessa Centra, during the commission of a bank robbery: (1) on August 15, 2011, in Troy, New York; (2) on August 24, 2011, in Albany, New York; and (3) on September 13, 2011, in Keene, New Hampshire.

Pickens served as the getaway driver during the robberies while his girlfriend and co-conspirator, Jeliessa Centra, wrote the demand notes and conducted the bank robberies while wearing a disguise. Pickens and Centra, who obtained approximately $11,000 during the robberies, utilized the proceeds to purchase a vehicle and travel to New York in order to shop.

The sentence was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Walpole and Keene, New Hampshire Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Terry L. Ollila.