BUFFALO, N.Y.—U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced
today that a federal jury has found Thomas Cascio, 52, of Cheektowaga, NY,
guilty of bank robbery. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in
prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul C. Parisi and Scott S. Allen,
Jr., who handled the trial of the case, stated that on March 6, 2017, at
approximately 1:09 p.m., Cascio entered the Key Bank at 5200 Main Street in
Amherst, NY. Wearing a hard hat, safety vest, and eye protection goggles, the
defendant approached a teller and passed a bank robbery note. The teller only
recalls reading the word “Robbery” at the top of the note before the individual
took the note back and told her to “Hurry up!” and “Don’t give me funny money!”
The teller gave money to Cascio who then departed the bank. Witnesses described
the defendant as having a distinctive nose and gray hair.
The Amherst Police Department issued a high quality bank
robbery surveillance photo to local media stations which aired the photo on the
evening of March 6, 2017, asking for public assistance. On March 7, 2017, eight
people contacted either the Amherst Police Department or FBI identifying the
robber as Thomas Cascio. In addition, there were numerous anonymous calls to the
Amherst Police Department that identified Cascio as the bank robber.
In 2000, the defendant was convicted in federal court of
four bank robberies and sentenced to 48 months in prison. In some of those
robberies, Cascio’s movements were similar to his movements on May 6, 2017,
including taking the note back from the teller before leaving the bank.
In 2009, Cascio was convicted in state court of one bank
robberies and served two years in prison.
The verdict is the culmination of an investigation by the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge
Kevin P. Lyons; the Amherst Police Department, under the direction of Chief
John Askey; the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief
David Zack; and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of
Commissioner Byron Lockwood.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 21, 2018, at 10:00 a.m.
before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo who presided over the trial of
the case.
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