New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Robbery

U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that LESTER MALAVA, age 57, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty today before the Honorable Kurt D. Engelhardt, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, to a one-count Bill of Information charging him with bank robbery.

According to court papers, MALAVA robbed the Capital One Bank at 3540 St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans on August 21, 2017.  MALAVA was identified on an FBI tip line and later turned himself in to authorities.  He faces a sentence of up to ten years in prison and a fine of $250,000, and a mandatory special assessment of $100.00.  Sentencing is set before Chief Judge Engelhardt on April 25, 2018.

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter.  Assistant U.S. Attorney David Haller is in charge of the prosecution.