Two Anchorage Men Charged for their Roles in the December 2019 Armed Robbery of Wells Fargo Bank

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that two Anchorage men have been charged for their roles in the December 2019 armed robbery of a Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., branch located at 5740 Debarr Road in Anchorage.

Totoe Opeti Sakaria, Jr., 22, of Anchorage, was named in the indictment charging him with bank robbery, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  His co-defendant, Brandon David McDonald, 23, of Anchorage, has been charged with accessory after the fact to bank robbery.

According to documents filed in the case, on Dec. 4, 2019, two masked men entered the bank and ordered the security guard and bank manager to get on the ground. One of the men approached a teller and demanded money, obtaining $2,624.  The other man held a shotgun and demanded that everyone get, and stay, on the ground.  Sakaria and McDonald were identified as suspects through still photos from surveillance footage that were released to the public.  Two days later, on Dec. 6, 2019, FBI special agents recovered the shotgun from the crawlspace of a residence associated with McDonald.  

If the public has any further information regarding this investigation, please contact Anchorage FBI at (907) 276-4441.

If convicted, Sakaria faces a maximum sentence of up to 25 years in federal prison, for the most serious charges alleged.  McDonald faces a maximum penalty of up to 12.5 years in federal prison for the charge alleged.  Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, any sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Anchorage Police Department (APD) conducted the investigation leading to the charges in this case.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison O’Leary.

The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.