Manchester Man Sentenced for Bank Robbery

             CONCORD - Aaron Pelchat, 36, of Manchester, was sentenced in federal court on Tuesday to serve 24 months in prison for bank robbery, announced United States Attorney Scott W. Murray.

             According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 23, 2017, Pelchat walked into a Northway Bank in Manchester, and handed the teller a note demanding money. The teller gave Pelchat a quantity of United States currency. Surveillance cameras captured images of the robbery which were broadcast on local news outlets. Numerous individuals identified Pelchat from the photographs and he was apprehended the next day, May 24, 2017.

            Pelchat, who pleaded guilty on January 19, 2018, will be on supervised release for three years after serving his prison sentence.      

           “Bank robberies are violent crimes that often can jeopardize the safety of bank employees, customers, and other members of the community,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with the law enforcement community to combat violent crimes such as bank robberies.  By combatting violent crime, our goal is to ensure that the citizens of the Granite State feel safe in their local communities.”      

           "The FBI would like to thank the public who helped us identify this individual," said Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Boston Division.  “The FBI is proud to work with our law enforcement partners to make our communities safer from folks like Mr. Pelchat who have no respect for the law.”

           This matter was investigated by the Manchester Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Dronzek.

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