MICHAEL W. LEWALLEN SENTENCED TO 4 YEARS FOR 2011 ROBBERIES OF MULTIPLE BANKS
MICHAEL W. LEWALLEN, age 58, a resident of Metairie, Louisiana, was sentenced by U. S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to four (4) years (48 months) imprisonment for the August 5, 2011, robbery of the Whitney National Bank branch at 4845 Veterans Memorial Boulevard, announced U. S Attorney Jim Letten.
The charges resulted from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office following the August 5, 2011, robbery of the Whitney National Bank, 4845 Veterans Memorial Boulevard, Metairie, Louisiana. With the assistance of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, LEWALLEN was located driving a vehicle matching the description of the vehicle utilized by the robber soon after the robbery, a short distance from the bank. Further, LEWALLEN was found in possession of clothing worn during the bank robbery as well as a large amount of United States currency in the same denominations turned over during the bank robbery.
In connection with his guilty plea to the Indictment, LEWALLEN admitted that he also robbed four other banks in the weeks prior to the August 5, 2011 Whitney robbery. In a signed factual basis setting forth the facts supporting the guilty plea, LEWALLEN admitted that he also robbed: 1) the Whitney National Bank at 2609 Veterans Memorial Boulevard on June 10, 2011, 2) the Capitol One Bank at 1501 Veterans Memorial Boulevard on June 24, 2011, 3) the Whitney National Bank at 3060 North Causeway Boulevard on July 8, 2011, and 4) the Capitol One Bank at 2200 North Causeway Boulevard on July 16, 2011.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Milazzo sentenced LEWALLEN to three (3) years of supervised release following the term of imprisonment. During the three (3) year term, the defendant will be under federal supervision and risks an additional term of imprisonment should he violate any terms of his supervised release.
This prosecution was the result of an investigation conducted by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and detectives of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office
The prosecution has been handled by Supervisory Assistant U. S. Attorney Jay Quinlan, Chief of the U. S. Attorney’s Violent Crime Unit.
