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SAN FRANCISCO – Yolanda Brown, AKA Yo-Yo, pleaded guilty in federal court in San Francisco late yesterday to five robberies of Bay Area banks and credit unions, the unlawful possession of a firearm, and distribution of methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Brian Stretch, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Jill Snyder.
In pleading guilty, Brown, 48, of San Francisco, admitted to robbing the following banks and credit unions:
Date |
Bank / Credit Union |
Location |
January 11, 2016 |
Wells Fargo |
2055 Chestnut Street, San Francisco, CA |
January 13, 2016 |
Patelco Credit Union |
1358 Fairmont Drive, San Leandro, CA |
February 19, 2016 |
Patelco Credit Union |
1358 Fairmont Drive, San Leandro, CA |
June 9, 2016 |
Citibank |
2400 19th Avenue, San Francisco, CA |
June 16, 2016 |
Wells Fargo |
3365 Deer Valley Road, Antioch, CA |
In her plea agreement, Brown also admitted to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and to possessing with intent to distribute and distributing more than fifty grams of methamphetamine.
On October 20, 2016, a federal grand jury formally indicted Brown for the robberies and unlawful possession of a firearm. The indictment charged her with five counts of bank or credit union robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a), and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). Further, on September 15, 2015, Brown was indicted for distribution of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). Under the plea agreement, Brown pled guilty to all charges in both indictments.
Brown is currently in custody. Brown’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 27, 2017, at 2:30 PM before the Honorable Thelton E. Henderson, U.S. District Judge, in San Francisco. The maximum statutory penalties for each count of bank robbery is 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and applicable restitution. The maximum statutory penalties for being a felon in possession of a firearm is 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. The maximum statutory penalties for possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine is life in prison, a minimum prison term of ten years, and a fine of $10,000,000. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott D. Joiner is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Lance Libatique, Christine Tian, and Linda Love. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the San Francisco Police Department, the San Leandro Police Department, and the Antioch Police Department.