Boston Man Sentenced For Bank Robbery

At time of offense, defendant was on supervised release for robbing six banks in 2006

BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for bank robbery.

Phillip Leo Campanirio, 53, was sentenced by US District Court Judge George A. O’Toole to 70 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $4,680 to Citizens Bank.  On Jan. 9, 2019, Campanirio pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery. Campanirio has been in federal custody since his arrest on Aug. 31, 2018.

On April 28, 2018, an individual, later determined to be Campanirio, entered a branch of Citizens Bank in Allston, approached the teller and demanded cash. Campanirio stated words to the effect: “$20, $50, and $100 dollar bills. I don’t want any [expletive] dye packs.” The teller handed Campanirio money from her drawer, and then, because Campanirio told her, “I want more,” the teller gave Campanirio additional cash from her drawer. Campanirio then exited the bank. A post-robbery audit determined that the robber had stolen $4,680.

The teller described Campanirio as an approximately 50-year-old white male, who walked with a limp. The teller stated that the robber was wearing a red and blue baseball hat, white reflective sunglasses, a white hooded sweatshirt, brown pants and white sneakers. Bank surveillance cameras showed images of Campanirio consistent with the description provided by the bank’s teller.

Information and pictures of Campanirio were disseminated on various media sites. A probation officer, who is currently supervising Campanirio while he is on supervised release stemming from a prior bank robbery conviction, saw the publicly released information and recognized the suspect as Campanirio.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, 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 prosecuted the case.