Federal Grand Jury Indicts Man for Attempted Bank Robbery and Bank Robbery

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that BERNELL BREAUX, age 57, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was charged in a two-count indictment by a Federal Grand Jury for attempted bank robbery of a Gulf Coast Bank and Trust Company branch and for bank robbery at a Capital One Bank branch.

According to court documents, on or about January 2, 2020, in the Eastern District of Louisiana, BREAUX attempted to rob a Gulf Coast Bank and Trust Company branch in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a).  Additionally, on or about January 2, 2020, in the Eastern District of Louisiana BREAUX robbed a Capital One Bank branch of approximately $302.00 in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a).

If convicted, BREAUX faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years, a (3) year period of supervised release and a maximum fine of $250,000 for each count.

U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. 

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Crime Task Force.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Eshkol is in charge of the prosecution.