Billings bank robbery sends Lame Deer man to prison for more than five years

BILLINGS — A Lame Deer man who admitted to robbing a Billing bank while armed with a knife and attempting to flee on a city bus was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

Elmer Brady, 68, pleaded guilty in August 2023 to bank robbery.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.

The government alleged that on March 23, Brady entered Stockman Bank in downtown Billings, approached a teller and told her, “I already took care of your security guard.” Brady then wrote on a deposit slip, “This is a …” with the last word being unreadable. Brady slid the note to the teller and demanded $9,000 or else he would kill her. The teller told law enforcement that Brady said he was armed with a weapon and would use it if she didn’t give him the money. Fearing that Brady was going to kill her and others in the bank, the teller gave Brady all the money in her cash drawer, and he left the bank. Brady attempted to leave the area on a City of Billings bus, but a bank guard alerted the bus driver, who ordered Brady to get off. Brady complied and police officers arrested him a short time later as he was walking toward the Billings Public Library. In a search of Brady, officers found a large knife in his jacket pocket and determined he was on state probation. Law enforcement searched Brady’s bag and recovered $6,361 in U.S. currency, a pair of binoculars, rubber gloves and a metal pipe.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin M. Rubich prosecuted the case. The FBI and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation.

XXX