“Winter Hat” Robber Convicted Of Seven Bank Robberies

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          Contact ELIZABETH MORSE

www.justice.gov/usao/md                                                     at (410) 209-4885

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury has convicted Harrison Lewis, III, age 54, of Catonsville, Maryland of six counts of bank robbery and one count of attempted bank robbery.

The conviction was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; and Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

The federal jury convicted Lewis of robberies that occurred on December 28, 2016, January 5, 2017, January 6, 2017, January 11, 2017 in Catonsville; a robbery and an attempted robbery that were both committed on January 19, 2017 in Ellicott City; and a robbery that was committed on January 30, 2017 in Phoenix, Maryland.  The jury was unable to reach a verdict on charges relating to robberies that took place on December 31, 2016 in Sykesville and January 10, 2017 in Ellicott City.

According to evidence presented at trial, between December 28, 2016 and January 30, 2017, Lewis entered each bank wearing a hat and sunglasses, approached the teller, passed the teller a note that demanded U.S. currency, and then fled the bank after the teller complied and handed over cash.  The notes referenced an armed partner outside the bank, and instructed the tellers to not use any security measures such as alarms, dye packs, bait money, or tracking devices.  Lewis also demanded the notes back from the tellers.

Moreover, as to the January 19, 2017 attempted robbery, Lewis, entered a bank wearing a disguise, including a hat and sunglasses, passed a note, and then fled the bank after the teller told him that she could not read it.  Minutes later, while wearing the same disguise, Lewis walked less than 100 yards down the street to another bank, again passed a note demanding United States currency, and fled after the teller complied and handed over cash.

In 2002, Lewis was convicted of federal bank robbery, and was sentenced to 150 months in prison on that charge.  As part of his guilty plea in 2002, Lewis admitted to robbing 19 banks over the course of three months in 2001, using a demand note.

Lewis faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison per count.

United States District Judge Marvin J. Garbis has scheduled sentencing for Lewis on August 20, 2018 at 10 a.m.

United States Attorney Hur commended the FBI, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Howard County Police Department, and the Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Budlow and Paul Riley, who prosecuted this case.