AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC at 410-209-4885

September 12, 2006

BOWIE MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO STEALING ATMs IN PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY AND VIRGINIA

Defendant Admits to $423,388 in Losses

BALTIMORE, Maryland - Eric Thomas aka “Dukie,” age 48, of Bowie, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to bank larceny, and aiding and abetting bank larceny, arising from a conspiracy to steal Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and their contents, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.

Thomas and five other defendants were indicted on March 1, 2006 for conspiracy to commit bank larceny by stealing several ATMs in various locations in Prince George’s County. According to the plea agreement presented today to the court, on February 14, 2005 Thomas and his co-conspirators stole an ATM and its contents of about $5,804 from the Davis General Store in Fairfax Park, Virginia. On July 3, 2005 Thomas and others stole an ATM and its contents of about $101,000 from the Bank of America on Old Bridge Road in Woodbridge, Virginia. On September 1, 2005 Thomas and others attempted to steal an ATM from the Bank of America on Prince William Parkway in Woodbridge, Virginia, and attempted to saw into the ATM’s hinges and pull the doors off of the front. On October 2, 2005 Thomas and others stole an ATM and its contents of about $56,820 from the Bank of America on Prince William Parkway in Woodbridge, Virginia. On October 14, 2005 Thomas and others stole an ATM from the Bank of America in the Bowie Town Center, Bowie, Maryland. Thomas drove the co-conspirators in his van to a location to steal a truck and drove the others to the bank. After the ATM was pulled from its foundation and loaded into the truck, Thomas drove his co-conspirators in the van to a wooded area, where he and another individual cut into the ATM with a saw, and stole about $109,764.

The approximate cost of replacing the five ATMs stolen or attempted to be stolen is approximately $150,000. Along with the stolen cash described above, the total amount of loss attributed to Thomas is $423,388. As part of his plea agreement, Thomas has agreed that the Court may order restitution in that amount.

Thomas faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake has scheduled sentencing for November 1, 2006 at 9:15 a.m.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the investigative work performed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie A. Gallagher and Michael J. Leotta, who are prosecuting the case.