New York Man Pleads Guilty To Armed Bank Robbery

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on April 27, 2022, Michael Muse, age 44, of Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to the charge of armed bank robbery.

According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Muse committed armed robbery of the ESSA Bank, located in Middle Smithfield Township, Monroe County, on September 16, 2021.  During the robbery Muse pointed what appeared to be a firearm (later discovered to be an air pistol) at the bank tellers. Muse stole approximately $9,031. 

Judge Mannion ordered that a presentence investigation take place.  Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.

The charge against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Under federal law, Muse faces a maximum sentence of up to twenty-five years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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