Bank Robber Sentenced to 288 Months

RICHMOND, VA—Dana J. Boente, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jennifer Love, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announce the final resolution of the bank robbery cases against Malik Rahmel Dillard, age 26, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Sylvester Fred Mullins, age 35, of McDonough, Georgia. Dillard, Mullins, and a third defendant were charged in a three-count indictment with one count of Conspiracy to Obstruct, Delay, and Affect Commerce by Robbery and two counts of Bank Robbery. Dillard previously pled guilty before United States District Judge Henry E. Hudson to all three counts charged in the indictment. Mullins pled guilty to the conspiracy charge and one bank robbery charge. Earlier today, Judge Hudson granted the United States’ Motion for Upward Departure and sentenced Dillard to 288 months’ confinement and to pay $178,425 in restitution to the victim banks. On May 15, 2009, Mullins was sentenced to 71 months’ confinement and to pay $37,122 in restitution. The third defendant, Zarqurous Lequis Sanders, is presently scheduled for trial on September 2, 2009.

According to the documents filed in connection with the case, Dillard and Mullins admitted to their respective roles in a string of armed robberies that began on or about May 5, 2008, and continued through on or about July 21, 2008, at various banks located in Virginia, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, and Tennessee. Dillard admitted that he was the common participant in each of the robberies as the scheme progressed, with others, such as Mullins and Sanders, joining him at various times to commit different robberies. Although no firearms were used in these robberies, the conspirators committed each robbery through threats of force, violence, and fear of injury to each victim bank’s employees. In connection with their guilty pleas, both Dillard and Mullins stipulated to their joint roles in the following robberies which resulted in actual losses of $37,122.00 to the victim banks:

1. May 8, 2008 – Dillard and Mullins robbed the PNC Bank, located at 5436 Jefferson Davis Highway, Fredericksburg, Virginia and stole approximately $3,066.00.
2. May 15, 2008 – Dillard and Mullins robbed the SunTrust Bank, located at 118 Small Pine Drive, Raleigh, North Carolina and stole approximately $8,454.00.
3. May 28, 2008 – Dillard and Mullins robbed the SunTrust Bank, located at 9617 Holly Point Drive, Huntersville, North Carolina and stole approximately $7,884.00.
4. June 3, 2008 – Dillard, Mullins, and co-defendant Zarqurous Lequis Sanders robbed the SunTrust Bank, located at 7001 Lee Highway, Chattanooga, Tennessee and stole approximately $5,728.00.
5. July 3, 2008 – Dillard, Mullins, Sanders, and another person robbed the First Citizens Bank, located at 4801 Capital Boulevard, Raleigh, North Carolina and stole approximately $11,990.00.

In addition to the above robberies, Dillard also confessed to his role in the following robberies which resulted in additional actual losses of $160,649.00 to the victim banks:

1. May 5, 2008 – Dillard and another person robbed the SunTrust Bank, located at 760 W. Peachtree Street, Atlanta, Georgia and stole approximately $1,999.00.
2. May 5, 2008 – Dillard and another person robbed the BB&T Bank, located at 991 Eagles Landing Parkway, Stockbridge, Georgia and stole approximately $5,680.00.
3. May 5, 2008 – Dillard and another person attempted to rob the Georgia Federal Credit Union, located at 2695 Panola Road, Lithonia, Georgia.
4. June 6, 2008 – Dillard, Sanders, and another person robbed the SunTrust Bank, located at 950 North Harrison Avenue, Cary, North Carolina and stole approximately $18,979.00.
5. June 10, 2008 – Dillard, Sanders, and another person robbed the M & F Bank, located at 101 Riverchase Parkway, Hoover, Alabama and stole approximately $25,600.00.
6. June 13, 2008 – Dillard, Sanders, and another person robbed the SunTrust Bank, located at 4030 Glenside Drive, Richmond, Virginia and stole approximately $30,996.00.
7. June 24, 2008 – Dillard, Sanders, and another person robbed the First Citizens Bank, located at 8541 Concord Mills Boulevard, Concord, North Carolina and stole approximately $20,200.00.
8. July 10, 2008 – Dillard, Sanders, and another person robbed the National City Bank, located at 8306 Cincinnati Dayton Road, West Chester, Ohio and stole approximately $10,313.00.
9. July 10, 2008 – Dillard, Sanders, and another person robbed the PNC Bank, located at 939 Hempstead Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio and stole approximately $27,536.00.
10. July 21, 2008 – Dillard and another person robbed the PNC Bank, located at 1327 Riverside Parkway, Belcamp, Maryland, and stole approximately $11,216.00.
11. July 21, 2008 – Dillard and another person robbed the PNC Bank, located at 505 Thornall Street, Edison, New Jersey, and stole approximately $8,130.00.

As part of their plea agreements with the government, both Dillard and Mullins agreed that all of the robberies they participated in should be considered for calculating their sentences. Overall, Dillard agreed to a total loss and restitution amount of $197,771.00. Mullins agreed to a total loss and restitution amount of $37,122.00.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Gill is prosecuting the case for the United States.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.