East Boston Man Convicted for Multiple Bank Robberies

Boston – An East Boston man was sentenced yesterday in federal court for multiple counts of armed bank robbery.

William DeVencinzi, 49, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to 210 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release and restitution. In July, DeVencinzi pleaded guilty to two counts of armed bank robbery and two counts of attempted armed bank robbery.

DeVincenzi and his accomplice, Theodore Sawtelle, robbed East Boston Savings Bank on Revere Beach Parkway in Everett and Bank of America in Winthrop on March 3 and 4, 2011, respectively. In both robberies, he placed a pipe bomb on the teller's counter. DeVincenzi obtained $1,900 in cash from the Everett robbery and more than $3,000 in cash from the Winthrop robbery.

Following the two robberies, the FBI's Violent Crimes Task Force developed a profile of the individuals suspected in the armed robberies and local media published bank surveillance photos from the crimes. As a result, the FBI received many tips and focused their attention on DeVincenzi, who was well known to the FBI having been previously convicted of armed bank robberies and manslaughter in the 1980s.

Agents began surveillance on DeVincenzi. On March 8, 2011, DeVincenzi and Sawtelle were observed approaching the Bank of America on Canal Street in Boston. DeVincenzi was observed changing into a blue N.Y. Yankees windbreaker and donning a pair of sunglasses and hat, and placing a pipe bomb into a green accordion-style folder as they approached Canal Street. Prior to entering the Bank of America, a uniformed Boston Police officer, unrelated to the investigation appeared, and the pair abruptly turned around and left the area.

The following morning, surveillance teams located DeVincenzi and Sawtelle as they approached the Bank of America on Canal Street, and again, observed DeVincenzi changing into the N.Y. Yankees windbreaker, sunglasses and hat, and carrying the same accordion-style folder as they approached Canal Street. The pair were arrested, and a six inch piece of pipe with an electronic mechanism was found inside the green accordion-style folder. The device was determined to be rendered inert.

On September 25, 2012, Sawtelle was sentenced by Judge Woodlock for his role in the two attempted bank robberies. Sawtelle was sentenced to 48 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz, Richard DesLauriers, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Boston Field Division; Guy Thomas, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF - Boston Field Division; Commissioner Edward Davis, Boston Police Department; Colonel Timothy P. Alben, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Chief Terence M. Delehanty, Winthrop Police Department; and Chief Steven A. Mazzie, Everett Police Department made the announcement today. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Ortiz's Major Crime Unit.