Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Providence Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Robbery


PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man accused of robbing a Providence bank just prior to closing for the business day on Valentine’s Day in February 2017, pleaded guilty on Tuesday in federal court to a charge of bank robbery.

Appearing before U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith, Efrain Delacruz, 36, admitted to the Court that on February 14, 2017, he entered a Santander Bank branch office on Elmgrove Avenue, approached a teller, and gave her a note that said, “give me all the money.  No dye packs, no fifties and no hundreds.” The teller immediately began gathering money from her station and gave it Delacruz.

According to information presented to the Court, as Delacruz left the bank he dropped nearly half of the money in the vestibule.  A manager immediately locked the doors.  Delacruz came back to the bank looking for the dropped money. He yanked on the doors trying to get in, but was unsuccessful. He then fled in his vehicle, leading police on a chase that exceeded 6 miles, often at high speed. Delacruz struck as many as seven vehicles prior to getting cornered by Providence Police and stopping.

Cash in the amount of $3,569 was found in the center console of the car.  It is believed that the balance of the money initially handed to the defendant by the teller was dropped inside the bank, where it was recovered.

Delacruz, who is detained in federal custody, is scheduled to be sentenced on October 5, 2018.

Delacruz’s guilty plea is announced by United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch, Providence Police Chief Hugh T. Clements, Jr, and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Terrence P. Donnelly.

The matter was investigated by the Providence Police Department and the FBI.

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