Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Six Bank Robberies Across New York State

          Buffalo, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Robert Stevenson, 59, of Rochester, N.Y., who pleaded guilty to bank robbery before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both.

 According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Catherine Baumgarten, who is handling the case, on June 11, 2012, the defendant entered the First Niagara Bank at 2853 Delaware Avenue, in Kenmore, N.Y., approached a teller station and handed the teller a note which stated, “100.00 and 50.00.” Stevenson then tapped on his waistband and made a noise and gesture suggesting that he had a weapon under his shirt.

In addition to the First Niagara Bank robbery, the defendant also committed the following robberies:

•             April 25, 2012, Citizens Bank, 2250 Hudson Avenue, Irondequoit, N.Y.
•             May 11, 2012, HSBC Bank, 333 West Washington, Syracuse, N.Y.
•             August 20, 2012, Adirondack Bank, 185 Genesee Street, Utica, N.Y.
•             October 3, 2012, Bank of America, 50 Genesee Street, New Hartford, N.Y.
•             November 5, 2012, Northwest Savings Bank, 210 W. Main Street, Falconer, N.Y.

The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian P. Boetig, the Irondequoit Police Department, under the direction of Chief Richard Tantalo, the Syracuse Police Department, under the direction of Chief Frank Fowler, the Utica Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Williams, the New Hartford Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Inserra, the Kenmore Police Department, under the direction of Chief Peter Breitnauer, the Town of Ellicott Police Department, under the direction of Chief William Ohnmeiss, Jr., and the Albany Office of the Federal bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Andrew Vale.