MARY ANN BROWN, 35, of Edmonds, Washington was sentenced today to 48 months in prison and three years of supervised release for four counts of bank robbery. BROWN was dubbed the "Bag Lady Bandit" after a string of bank robberies. In one of the robberies BROWN was accompanied by her 9-year-old daughter.

BROWN pleaded guilty to all four robberies on May 6, 2004. She admitted robbing the Westlake Park branch of Bank of America on February 7, 2004. On February 17, 2004 she admitted robbing a Key Bank branch in Seattle. It was in this robbery that surveillance video captured BROWN's then 9-year-old daughter in the same bank just minutes prior to the robbery. BROWN attempted to rob a Wells Fargo branch in downtown Seattle on February 25, 2004 but left when the teller refused to hand over any money. Just a half hour later she robbed a nearby branch of Bank of America.

BROWN was identified as a suspect in the robberies when surveillance video was released to the media. Four separate tips came in identifying MARY ANN BROWN as the woman depicted on the surveillance tape. In fact, the head of security for Red Apple Market contacted authorities and provided additional pictures of BROWN and her daughter because of attempted shoplifting at the store. BROWN was arrested March 3, 2004 at a hotel in Tukwila, Washington.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vincent T. Lombardi.

For additional information please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs Officer, United States Attorney's Office, Western District of Washington at (206)553-4110.

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