Youngstown Man Sentenced to 10 years for Robbing Two Banks

YOUNGSTOWN – James P. Verdream, 57, of Youngstown, Ohio, was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Benita Y. Pearson, after he pleaded guilty to robbing two Youngstown area banks. Verdream was ordered to serve 3 years of supervised release following imprisonment, pay a $200 special assessment, and pay $1,734 in restitution.  Verdream was also ordered to pay restitution of $3,991 for an uncharged robbery that occurred in Pennsylvania. 

According to court documents and court records, on May 2, 2022, Verdream entered a PNC Bank, on Mahoning Avenue, in Youngstown, Ohio. He handed the teller a note, which said “this is a robbery, do not pull the alarm/buzzer” and indicated that he had a gun. The teller gave him $734.00, and Verdream left. On May 9, 2022, Verdream entered Chase Bank, on W. Liberty Street, in Girard Ohio. He handed the teller a note that said “I have a gun and a bomb, $10,000.”  The teller indicated that he could only disperse $1,000 and Verdream accepted that amount of money and left. Verdream was later identified by law enforcement via surveillance footage from the banks.  Verdream had two prior federal convictions for bank robbery in New Mexico.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Youngstown, the United States Marshal Service, Austintown Police Department, the Boardman Police Department, and the Girard Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason M. Katz and Yasmine Makridis.