Tuesday, May 31, 2011

“Brazen Bandit” Bank Robber Sentenced to 52 Years in Prison

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami Field Office; Al Lamberti, Sheriff, Broward Sheriff’s Office; and Daniel C. Alexander, Chief, Boca Raton Police Department, announced today that Michael Anthony Price, 44, of Coconut Creek, Florida, was sentenced earlier today. U.S. District Court Judge William J. Zloch sentenced Price to 52 years in prison, to be followed by five years’ supervised release.

Price, dubbed the “Brazen Bandit,” was convicted of two counts of bank robbery, conspiracy to commit bank robbery, two counts of use of a firearm during a crime of violence, and possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony offense. According to evidence presented at trial, the first bank robbery took place on Friday, August 13, 2010, at the PNC Bank. Price, wearing a black baseball cap and sunglasses, entered the bank and approached a customer service consultant. Price stated he wished to open an account and then pointed a black revolver at the consultant. He then approached a teller station, placed a backpack on the counter, and pointed his firearm at a victim teller. He demanded money and told the teller that she had “15 seconds” to comply. While the gun was pointed at her, the teller placed the money in the defendant’s backpack. Price then left the bank.

The second bank robbery occurred on Wednesday, August 18, 2010, at the Amtrust Bank in Deerfield Beach. According to the evidence at trial, Price wore a black baseball cap, sunglasses, and a bandana covering his mouth when he entered the bank. He carried a black revolver in his hand. Price vaulted the teller counter and demanded money from multiple tellers at various stations, while brandishing the firearm. As Price was jumping back over the counter to flee with his loot, he shot a 67-year-old customer. After shooting the customer in the neck, Price left the bank, discharging two rounds from his revolver as he fled. The shooting victim is paralyzed from the neck down.

Co-defendant Greg Bryan Senser, 29, of Boynton Beach, who was the getaway driver for each of the robberies, pled guilty on February 25, 2011 before Judge Zloch and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 3, 2011.

U.S. Attorney Wifredo Ferrer commended the FBI’s Violent Crime Task Force, Broward Sheriff’s Office, and the Boca Raton Police Department for their excellent work on this matter. The FBI’s Violent Crime Task Force includes members from the FBI, BSO, U.S. Secret Service, and the police departments from the City of Miami, Miami Beach, and Miami-Dade. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Dispoto, Cynthia Stone and Jason Linder.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.

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