Serial Bank Robber Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison

PHOENIX—Michael Yanni, 27, of Phoenix and formerly of Scottsdale, Ariz., was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Roslyn O. Silver to serve 57 months in federal prison and to pay more than $20,000 in restitution for robbing banks in Scottsdale, Phoenix, and Carefree since 2006.

Yanni pleaded guilty to committing four bank robberies on June 13, 2006, February 13, 2007, March 13, 2007, and March 30, 2007. Bank employees or tellers from all four banks positively identified Yanni as the robber. He typically wore a bandana and mirrored aviator sunglasses. In many of the bank robberies, he approached bank tellers asking them to make change for a larger bill. When the tellers would open their cash drawers, he would either reach over the counter and grab the money from the drawers, or jump up on the counter and grab the money from the drawers. In December 2008, an anonymous caller left a message for the Scottsdale Police Department on their tip line identifying Yanni as the bank robber. Detectives from the Scottsdale Police Department and the FBI’s Bank Robbery Task Force followed up on the lead and ultimately arrested Yanni.

“A citizen tip in December of 2008 lead to the conviction and imprisonment of a serial bank robber who hit Four Arizona banks in 2006 and 2007,” said U.S. Attorney Dennis K. Burke. “Citizen cooperation in robbery cases remains vital and resulted here in justice being served.”

The FBI has partnered with the Scottsdale Police Department, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, the Mesa Police Department, the Phoenix Police Department, the Scottsdale Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office to form the Violent Crime/Bank Robbery Task Force in order to investigate, arrest and seek prosecution of those responsible for robbing banks in the Valley. The prosecution in this case was handled by Jennifer E. Green, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER: 09-1363-PHX-ROS

RELEASE NUMBER: 2010-228(Yanni)