Westbrook Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Two Bank Robberies

Portland, Maine:  A Westbrook man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Portland for committing two bank robberies, the second of which he committed while on pretrial release for the first, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.

U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Aaron West, 38, to seven years in prison and three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $16,250 in restitution to Cumberland County Federal Credit Union and $1,140 in restitution to Norway Savings Bank. West pleaded guilty to both bank robberies on June 28, 2019.

According to court records, on January 31, 2018, West entered the Cumberland County Federal Credit Union in Falmouth. Holding his right hand in his sweatshirt pocket in a manner consistent with carrying a concealed weapon, he approached a teller and told her, “this is a robbery, no dye packs.” He obtained $16,250 in the robbery. He was subsequently arrested for the robbery and a federal grand jury indicted him in November 2018. He was released pending trial. In early March 2019, he became a fugitive from justice because he violated his pretrial release conditions and a warrant issued for his arrest.

On March 18, 2019, while in fugitive status, West entered a Norway Savings Bank in Portland. He held his right hand in his sweatshirt pocket, in a manner consistent with carrying a concealed weapon. He told the teller, “give me the money,” and after first receiving a small amount of money, demanded “more” and threatened to “start shooting.” He obtained $1,400 in the robbery.

The FBI and the Falmouth, Portland and Westbrook Police Departments investigated the case.