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Press Release

Pitcairn Woman Sentenced to Time Served for Attempted Robbery of Post Office

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Pennsylvania

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pitcairn, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to a term of imprisonment of time served after having served 8 months in jail, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on her conviction of Attempted Post Office Robbery, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Senior United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Kristen Risko, age 24.

According to the information presented to the court, on July 21, 2016, the defendant, wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt with the hood over her head, large dark sunglasses covering her face and holding a metallic object in her right hand, walked into the United States Post Office in Pitcairn, PA. She raised her right hand, pointed it at the clerk, and demanded money. The defendant moved closer to the clerk, demanded money and told him to give her everything that he had. As she got closer, he believed that she was holding a knife. The clerk told her that the police just drove by and that she had better leave because they were coming back any second. He then moved behind a doorframe and out of her view. At that point, the defendant fled the Post Office. Risko was identified the next day. She confessed, but denied using a knife. She claimed that she used a remote control for a space heater. No weapon was recovered.

Assistant United States Attorney Shanicka L. Kennedy prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

The United States Postal Inspection Service and the Pitcairn Borough Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the prosecution of Risko.

Updated August 1, 2018