Two Reading Men Sentenced to Prison for Schuylkill County Bank Robbery

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Senior United States District Judge James M. Munley sentenced two Reading men on September 18 to prison for their role in committing an armed bank robbery in Schuylkill County.

According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, Justin Allen Smith, age 21, of Reading, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 72 months in prison, while Quamaine Irvin Smith-Tisdale, age 23, also of Reading, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for their role in committing an armed bank robbery which occurred at the Union Bank and Trust located in West Brunswick Township, Schuylkill County, on April 18, 2011. After the commission of the robbery, Smith-Tisdale, Smith, and a third man, Orlando Velez, Jr., age 23, also of Reading, were apprehended by the Pennsylvania State Police after leading police on a high-speed vehicle chase.

In addition, Senior Judge Munley ordered that Smith-Tisdale and Smith be supervised by a probation officer for three years after serving their prison sentences.

Smith-Tisdale and Smith previously entered guilty pleas to the charge of aiding and abetting an armed bank robbery before Senior Judge Munley on June 19, 2012.

United States Attorney Smith noted that Orlando Velez, Jr. has not yet been sentenced.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara.