Gloucester Man Pleads Guilty To Bank Robbery

BOSTON - A Gloucester man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to bank robbery.

Michael Robinson, 40, pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery before U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young, who scheduled sentencing for Sept. 24, 2019.

On Nov. 19, 2018, a man, later identified as Robinson, entered the Institution for Savings Bank branch in Gloucester, walked up to the teller counter, passed a handwritten note to the teller, and stole $2,650. Within minutes of the robbery, local police responded to the bank. They reviewed bank surveillance footage and recognized Robinson as the robber. Police also matched bank surveillance footage of Robinson to a recent Facebook photograph Robinson posted the previous weekend. In that Facebook photo, Robinson was wearing the same clothing he wore when he robbed the bank. The investigation also revealed possible locations where Robinson might be, and, only a few hours after the robbery, police apprehended Robinson on a bus in another city.

The charge provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Gloucester Police Chief Edward G. Conley made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.