Silver Spring Man Sentenced for Two Bank Robberies

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte sentenced Paul Milton Laney, age 60, of Silver Spring, Maryland today to 78 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for committing two bank robberies within three days.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Acting Special Agent in Charge Scott Hinckley of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department.

 According to his plea agreement, on February 18, 2014, Laney entered a bank in the 13000 block of Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring and demanded money from a teller.  When the teller did not immediately comply, Laney leapt up onto the counter and stuffed $2,920 from the register into a plastic bag.  As Laney was leaving, a bank employee attempted to stop him.  Laney stated, “If you take another step closer, I’ll blow your head off.”  The employee stepped away and Laney left the bank.

On February 21, 2014, Laney entered a bank in the 8700 block of Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring and demanded money from a teller.  The teller was slow to put money in a bag.  Laney leaned over the counter revealing a large kitchen knife inside his jacket and threated to kill the teller.  The teller handed Laney approximately $999 from the register, and Laney left the bank.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI and Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel C. Gardner, who prosecuted the case.