PHOENIX, AZ—On Tuesday, October 9, 2018 Eugene Strong, Jr., 22, was sentenced to 84 months in prison and placed on supervised release for 36 months for using a firearm during a crime of violence (bank robbery).

According to court documents, Strong, Jr., admitted to robbing the Arizona Federal Credit Union at 2650 West Ross Drive in Phoenix, Arizona on February 3, 2018, at around 12:27 p.m. After entering the bank, court records show, Strong, Jr. displayed a handgun and shouted “this is a robbery,” he also admitted to firing one round from his firearm into the ceiling because he believed one of the tellers was not sufficiently intimidated during the robbery.

Strong, Jr. fled the bank with a known amount of money. When Phoenix Police located his vehicle, he fled on foot but was quickly taken into custody. According to the complaint, a money bag with a bank logo on it was found, concealed inside his jeans.

On June 25, 2018 the defendant entered a guilty plea to brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation would like to thank the Phoenix Police Department and members of the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force, which include, the Phoenix Police Department, Scottsdale Police Department, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, and the FBI.

The prosecution was handled by Robert Brooks, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.