Charlestown Man Arrested for Armed Bank Robbery

BOSTON—ANTHONY M. HAMILTON, 24, of Charlestown, was charged yesterday in federal court with the December 2010 armed bank robbery of a Citizens Bank branch in Malden.

The complaint alleges that on December 16, 2010, a young black male entered the Citizens Bank on

Main Street

in Malden. Once inside the bank, the individual presented a teller with a demand note indicating a robbery and that he had a gun. The teller handed the robber $4,700 in cash, then the robber attempted to exit the bank.

This branch of Citizens Bank is equipped with a “MAN-TRAP,” which, once activated by bank employees, activates a series of doors, effectively capturing the individual within the bank’s vestibule. Upon his exit, the bank employees activated the MAN-TRAP. Once captured within the vestibule, the robber pulled out a silver semi-automatic pistol and began firing at the doors. The robber was able to exit the vestibule and was seen exiting in an unknown direction. A number of 9mm shell casings and spent projectiles were recovered from within the bank’s vestibule.

The bank surveillance cameras captured images of the robber and those images were broadcast by local media. The pictures were also posted on www. massmostwanted.org. A few weeks later, the website received an anonymous tip that the individual depicted in the bank’s surveillance photographs was Hamilton. He was captured yesterday morning at a home in Boston.

If convicted on these charges, Hamilton faces up to 25 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and restitution of $4,700.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Richard DesLauriers, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Violent Crime Task Force, the Boston Police and the Malden Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Ortiz's Major Crime Unit.

The details contained in the complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.