Indianapolis Man Convicted of Armed Bank Robbery, Brandishing a Firearm

INDIANAPOLIS—United States Attorney Joseph H. Hogsett announced today the conviction of Milford Clark, 57, on charges of armed bank robbery and brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. This follows an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and a three day jury trial in the United States District Court.

“Thanks to the tireless work of our federal and local law enforcement partners, Indianapolis will have one less violent repeat-offender to worry about,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Brant Cook, who along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve DeBrota successfully prosecuted the case for the government. “This conviction is just the latest in an ever-growing list of ‘worst of the worst’ criminals who have been taken off the street this year.”

In March, Hogsett announced the U.S. Attorney’s Office Violent Crime Initiative, a district-wide strategy to combat drug traffickers and criminals that use and carry firearms in their illegal activities through local collaboration and aggressive federal prosecution.

Clark was found guilty of the armed robbery of a Regions Bank on the southeastern side of Indianapolis that took place on April 27, 2010. Wearing a red bandana, sunglasses, and baseball cap, Clark entered the bank and informed bank employees, “This is a bank robbery! This is a hold-up!” After pointing a semi-automatic handgun at a teller’s chest and threatening his life multiple times, Clark fled the bank with $3,547 in cash.

In July 2010, in the course of investigating a reported theft on the west side of Indianapolis, Clark was taken into custody and shortly thereafter identified by federal agents using bank security footage. A criminal history check revealed that Clark had previously been arrested and convicted in 2005 for an attempted bank robbery.

According to Cook and DeBrota, Clark faces up to 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for his armed robbery conviction. Due to his conviction of brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, Clark faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years and could receive up to life in prison.