Serial Bank Robber Pleads Guilty to Federal Bank Robbery Charge

Baltimore, Maryland – Victor Fossett, age 55, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty on June 11, 2020, to bank robbery and to violating the conditions of his federal supervised release, in connection with three bank robberies he committed in March 2019.  

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 in Baltimore; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department, and Chief Lisa Myers of the Howard County Police Department.

According to his guilty plea, between March 13 and March 18, 2019, Fossett robbed three banks—in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and Howard County—stealing a total of more than $8,000.  Fossett was on federal supervised release at the time of the robberies, having previously sustained three federal convictions for bank robbery—the last of which resulted in a sentence of 151 months in federal prison.  In each robbery, Fossett entered the bank and wrote a note on a deposit slip announcing the robbery and demanding cash.  Fossett then approached a teller and gave them the note.  After stealing cash from the teller, Fossett fled the bank in his blue Mini Cooper car. 

Specifically, on March 13, 2019, Fossett robbed the M&T Bank in the 300 block of Baltimore Street in Baltimore.  On March 14, 2019, Fossett robbed the PNC Bank located in the 6200 block of Washington Boulevard in Elkridge, and on March 18, 2019, Fossett robbed the PNC Bank located in the 700 block of Frederick Road in Catonsville.

On March 19, 2019, officers with the Maryland Transportation Authority Police located Fossett traveling southbound on I-895 towards Howard County in his blue Mini Cooper car.  Law enforcement had already obtained an arrest warrant for Fossett, so they conducted a traffic stop and ultimately arrested him.  Law enforcement subsequently executed a search warrant on Fossett’s vehicle and recovered clothing and other items worn during the bank robberies as well as $3,923 in cash in the car’s glovebox—which was bank robbery proceeds.

Fossett faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the bank robbery charge and a maximum of two years in prison for violating his supervised release.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  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 September 3, 2020 at 10:00 a.m.

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI and the Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and Howard County Police Departments for their work in the investigation and thanked the Maryland Transportation Authority Police Department for its assistance.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Riley, who is prosecuting the case.

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