Beltsville Man Sentenced to Over 18 Years in Prison for Seven Bank Robberies

GREENBELT, MD—Chief U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Samuel Lewis, age 44, of Beltsville, Maryland, today to 219 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for bank robbery, being a felon in possession of a gun, and using a gun during a bank robbery. Chief Judge Chasanow also ordered Lewis to forfeit $58,270 and to pay restitution in the full amount stolen from the banks.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Richard A. McFeely of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.

According to his plea agreement, on seven occasions from October 14, 2010 to September 2, 2011, Lewis walked into a bank located in Silver Spring, Potomac, or Gaithersburg Maryland, pointed a handgun at a bank teller, and demanded money. Lewis struck the bank teller in the face during his first robbery and threatened to shoot the bank tellers in the remaining six robberies. Lewis stole a total of $108,706 from the banks.

On September 16, 2011, Montgomery County Police detectives executed a search warrant for a room that Lewis was renting and seized $58,270 and a .44 caliber revolver. Lewis had previously been convicted of a felony and was prohibited from possessing a gun.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Montgomery County Police Department, and Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Cheryl L. Crumpton and Special Assistant United States Attorney Ann O’Brien, who prosecuted the case.