Tewksbury Man Charged with Bank Robbery

 BOSTON – A Tewksbury man was charged today in federal court in Boston with bank robbery.

Nicholas O’Neil, 37, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of bank robbery.  O’Neil was arrested in Tewksbury on Sept. 22, 2020, has been in custody since. O’Neil was detained following his initial appearance in federal court in Boston today.

According to charging documents, on Sept. 22, 2020, O’Neil, entered a branch of the Santander Bank in Tewksbury, handed the teller a demand note and a red cloth bag. The teller placed $5,689 into the red bag back and handed it to the robber, who exited the bank. The robber allegedly sped away from the bank in a white pickup truck, which was reported to police. A short time later, the pickup truck was located and “boxed-in” in heavy traffic. Police officers removed and arrested the passenger, later determined to be O’Neil, without incident. Inside the vehicle, officers located the red bag with the bank’s money and the demand note. 

The charge of bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Tewksbury Police Chief Ryan M. Columbus made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.