Bank and Pharmacy Bandit Sentenced to 57 Years

A 42-year-old Oak Park man was sentenced today to 684 months in federal prison without parole for committing armed robberies, U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade announced.

Joining in the announcement was Robert D. Foley, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Arthur J. Tarnow. The defendant, Alfred Ross Wingate, Jr., was convicted at a jury trial in March.

The evidence presented at trial established that Wingate, a multi-convicted felon on parole for murder, conspired with seven other people to commit bank robbery and pharmacy robbery with firearms during the spring and summer of 2011. Wingate was one of two gunmen who robbed the Grosse Pointe Woods branch of Citizens Bank on May 18, 2011; Medicap Pharmacy in Warren on June 18, 2011; and Ferndale Pharmacy on July 11, 2011.

“Violent criminals who use guns can expect to be charged in federal court, where they face long prison sentences,” McQuade said. “Armed robberies risk a loss of life that we cannot tolerate.”

FBI Special Agent in Charge Foley said, “Violent criminals who use guns to threaten lives during robberies and other crimes will face severe penalties for their illegal acts. The FBI is committed to working with its law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of our communities.”

The case was investigated by special agents of the FBI, the Warren Police Department, the Ferndale Police Department, and the Grosse Pointe Woods Department of Public Safety. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kenneth Chadwell.