Hazleton Man Sentenced To 100 Months In Prison For Robbing Three Banks

     The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Senior United States District Court Judge A. Richard Caputo sentenced Shawn Luther Kelley, age 35, of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, to 100 months’ imprisonment for his robbery of three financial institutions.

     According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Kelley appeared in Federal Court in Wilkes-Barre on October 21, 2013, and admitted to committing the following bank robberies: (1) the PNC BANK, located at 499 Susquehanna Boulevard, Hazle Township, Pennsylvania, on April 16, 2012; (2) the CHOICE ONE COMMUNITY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, located at 983 North Sherman Court, Hazleton, Pennsylvania, on April 20, 2012; and (3) the CITIZENS BANK located at 40 West Broad Street, West Hazleton, Pennsylvania, on April 24, 2012. 

     Kelley was arrested shortly after the Citizens Bank robbery on April 24, 2012.  

     At the sentencing today in Wilkes-Barre, the defense attributed Kelley’s robberies to his need to obtain money to sustain a heroin addiction.      

     The case was investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania State Police, Hazleton Police Department and West Hazleton Police Department.   Assistant United States Attorney John Gurganus prosecuted the case.