Abington Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing Three Banks

BOSTON – An Abington man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to robbing three Greater Boston-area banks.

John Soule, 53, pleaded guilty to three counts of bank robbery. U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Oct. 19, 2018. Soule was arrested and charged in September 2017 and has been detained since.

On July 12, 2017, Soule entered a branch of the Eastern Bank in Cambridge, where he jumped over the teller’s counter, stated that he had a knife, and demanded the bank’s money. The tellers gave Soule money from their drawers, and Soule exited the bank with $12,940.

On Aug. 9, 2017, Soule entered a branch of the Webster Bank on Franklin Street in Boston and announced a robbery. He jumped over the tellers’ counter and demanded the bank’s money. The tellers gave Soule money from their drawers, and he exited the bank with $3,137.

One month later, on Sep. 8, 2017, Soule entered a branch of the Rockland Trust on Quincy Street in Quincy, where he approached a teller demanding money and then jumped over the counter and entered the bank’s vault. A post-robbery audit determined that Soule stole $42,747 during the robbery.

Video surveillance cameras outside of all three banks captured images of Soule moments before the robberies and following the robberies on a mountain bike.

Throughout their investigation, law enforcement received various tips and information that Soule was the person responsible. On Sept. 29, 2017, law enforcement located and arrested Soule, who, at the time of his arrest, was in possession of over $8,000. Soule was later interviewed and admitted his involvement in the robberies, providing law enforcement with specific details.

Each charge of bank robbery provides for a sentence of no greater 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting this case.