Armed Bank Robber Sentenced on Bank Robbery and Firearms Charges

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Michael B. Steinbach, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office; W. Howard Harrison, Chief, Plantation Police Department; and Anthony Strianese, Chief, Delray Beach Police Department, announce that Bryan Whitehead, 32, of Miami, was sentenced today before U.S. District Judge William J. Zloch in connection with his previous convictions after trial for bank robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a), and the use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c).

At today’s hearing, U.S. District Judge William J. Zloch sentenced defendant Bryan Whitehead to 471 months in prison (39.25 years) to be followed by five years of supervised release upon his release from imprisonment.

According to the indictment, court statements, and documents filed with the court, on May 1, 2010, a black male, later identified as Bryan Whitehead, wearing a dark nylon covering on his face, royal blue surgical scrubs, and brandishing a dark colored handgun, entered Bank of America located at 7215 W. Atlantic Boulevard in Delray Beach, Florida. Whitehead forced customers to the floor at gunpoint and accompanied bank employees to the vault area where he made the bank manager open one of the vault drawers. Whitehead also took money from several teller drawers and removed dye packs from the bank loot prior to departing the bank. Whitehead escaped with approximately $30,000 in cash.

Thereafter, on Monday, May 21, 2012, Whitehead entered the BB&T branch located at 450 Pine Island Road, in Plantation, Florida. Whitehead, who was wearing khaki pants and holding a firearm, entered the bank and forced a bank customer to the ground at gunpoint before pulling a black beanie over his face. From the lobby, Whitehead pointed a firearm at a bank teller and demanded that she open the door to the teller area. Whitehead removed the cash from the teller drawers and placed the cash in a dark colored cloth sack. Whitehead then demanded at gunpoint that the tellers open the vault. Once inside the vault area, Whitehead filled a cloth sack with in excess of $13,990 and thereafter fled the bank. Ultimately, Plantation Police Department captured Whitehead in a nearby gas station parking lot. During a search of the defendant’s vehicle, officers recovered the firearm used during the commission of the offense, Whitehead’s disguise, a police scanner, and the stolen money.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, the Plantation Police Department, and the Delray Beach Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Anton.