Buffalo Man Convicted Of Multiple Bank Robberies

CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
PHONE:         (716) 843-5817
FAX:            (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Laverne Palmer, a/k/a Poogaloo, 26, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Court Judge Frank P. Geraci to committing multiple bank robberies. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan T. Cullinane, who is handling the case, stated that, on six different dates, the defendant robbed or assisted in the robbery of First Niagara and Key Bank branches located in Lancaster, Depew, and Buffalo. During each of the six bank robberies, Palmer, or someone else, passed a hand-written note to the victim tellers which demanded United States currency and, for example, “no sudden movements” or “eye contact.”

The plea is the culmination of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction on the part of Adam S. Cohen, Special Agent-in-Charge, the Lancaster Police Department, under the direction of Chief Gerald Gill, the Depew Police Department, under the direction of Chief Stan Carwile, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel Derenda.

The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on March 10, 2017, before Judge Geraci.