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Press Release

Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty To Federal Firearm And Armed Bank Robbery Charges

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Maryland

Baltimore, Maryland – Richard Tingler, age 56, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to the federal charges of armed bank robbery and brandishing of a firearm during a crime of violence.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; and Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD).

According to his plea agreement, on January 23, 2019 and February 1, 2019, Richard Tingler and his co-defendant David Gollahon committed two armed bank robberies in Baltimore, Maryland and co-defendant Richard Adams served as the getaway driver in both robberies.  During each robbery, Gollahon and Tingler each brandished a firearm and threatened victim bank employees.

Specifically, on January 23, 2019, Adams drove Tingler and Gollahon in a gray Hyundai Accent car to the area of a PNC Bank branch in Baltimore, Maryland.  Tingler and Gollahon each had a firearm.

After entering the bank, Tingler, wearing a black ski mask, gray gloves, and a camouflage jacket and carrying a loaded black firearm and black leather duffle bag, and Gollahon, wearing a black ski mask and a gray hooded sweatshirt and carrying a loaded black firearm, told everyone to put their hands up.  Tingler approached the victim teller, pointed his firearm at her, and demanded $100 dollar bills and “loose bills” from the bottom drawer of the till.  Meanwhile, Gollahon held the other bank employees and customers at gunpoint in the lobby area of the bank.  He told the bank employees and customers, “don’t move.”

The victim teller complied with Tingler’s demand for cash and handed over $7,531.00 U.S. dollars.  Tingler and Gollahon then fled the bank on foot.  As they ran through a parking lot, they accidentally dropped $5,584 in cash.  They then got into the gray Hyundai Accent car driven by Adams, and drove away

On February 1, 2019, Adams drove Tingler and Gollahon in a 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo to a M&T Bank branch in Baltimore, Maryland.  Tingler and Gollahon each had the same firearm they had used in connection with the January 23, 2019 robbery of the PNC Bank.

After entering the bank, Tingler, wearing a black beanie, gray gloves, and the same camouflage jacket and carrying a loaded black firearm, and Gollahon, wearing a dark colored hoodie, tan jacket colored jacket, and black gloves and carrying a loaded black firearm, approached the teller window.  Tingler pointed his firearm at the teller and demanded $100 bills.  The victim teller complied and handed over cash from the till, but Tingler continued to demand more money.  At the same time, Gollahon approached the teller line with his firearm pointed in the direction of the tellers and bank customers.

In response to the demands for more cash, the victim teller and a co-worker went to the bank’s vault and removed $40,000 in cash.  They provided that cash to Tingler and Gollahon, who ultimately were given a total of $43,802.00 in cash.  In addition to the cash, the victim teller also provided a GPS tracker, which was activated.

Tingler and Gollahon then fled the bank and got into the 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo driven by Adams.  Adams drove the Monte Carlo away from the bank.  Law enforcement received GPS information concerning the location of the GPS tracker taken from the bank, which they relayed to Baltimore Police Department (BPD).

BPD officers stopped the vehicle, ordered Adams, Tingler, and Gollahon out of the vehicle, and arrested them.  At the time of his arrest, Gollahon had on his person the same firearm he used during the robbery.

Law enforcement searched Adams’ 2006 Monte Carlo car and recovered a blue backpack containing $43,802.00 in cash, the GPS tracker taken during the robbery, and the firearm carried by Tingler during both bank robberies.

Later that day, law enforcement searched Adams’ residence in Essex, Maryland and seized Gollahon’s gray hooded sweatshirt and the black leather duffel bag carried by Tingler during the January 23, 2019 robbery. 

If the Court accepts the parties’ plea agreement, Tingler will be sentenced no more than 18 years imprisonment for armed bank robbery and for brandishing of a firearm during a crime of violence.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.  U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for January 19, 2021.

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended FBI, BPD, and BCPD for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Riley and Daniel Loveland, Jr., who are prosecuting the case.

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Updated September 29, 2020