Mask-Wearing Robber Sentenced To 32 Years In Prison

PHILADELPHIA – Blair Thomas, Jr., 30, of Lansdowne, PA, was sentenced today to 384 months in prison for robbing a bank, attempting to rob postal employees at two post offices, and with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.  A federal jury, on April 15, 2015, returned guilty verdicts in the case.  In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Gerald A. McHugh ordered three years of supervised release, restitution in the amount of $1,891, and a $600 special assessment.

In each robbery and robbery attempt, Thomas wore a special effects, movie quality mask as a disguise, and in each robbery attempt, he armed himself with a .45-caliber Ruger semi-automatic handgun.  On January 22, 2014, Thomas entered United States Post offices in Yeadon, PA, and in Darby, PA, wearing the face mask and armed with the handgun, in one instance brandishing the gun, and demanded ten $1,000 money orders from postal clerks.  The following day, January 23, 2014, Thomas entered a Wells Fargo Bank in Springfield, PA wearing the special effects mask and displayed a note announcing a robbery.  Tellers at the bank gave Thomas approximately $1,890.  Surveillance video of the robberies was disseminated to local news outlets.  Law enforcement received a tip which led Postal Inspectors to the mask manufacturer who in turn led them to Blair Thomas.

On January 29, 2014, a search warrant was executed on Thomas’ home, and inspectors recovered the special effects face mask and the firearm used in the robberies.

The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Springfield, Yeadon, and Darby Police Departments.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Natali.