Rhode Island Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Robbery

BOSTON – A Rhode Island man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to five counts of bank robbery.

Charles Lamont Wheeler, 47, pleaded guilty to a Superseding Information charging him, and a co-defendant, Dong Lee, with five counts of bank robbery.  U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for July 13, 2020.  Lee is scheduled to plead guilty on March 11, 2020.

Between Sept. 8, 2018 and Sept. 14, 2018 five banks in the Greater Boston area were robbed.  Based on the similarity of the robberies, and the descriptions of the robbers provided by bank tellers, it was determined that the same two individuals were responsible for these robberies.  On Sept. 14, 2018, Lee and Wheeler robbed a branch of the Crescent Credit Union in Brockton and were both arrested following a high-speed car chase in Attleboro.

Following an interview and review of banks’ surveillance tapes, it was determined that Wheeler and Lee, were responsible for the robberies of the Santander Bank in Andover on Sept. 8, 2018; Berkshire Bank in Boston on Sept. 8, 2018; Rockland Trust in Braintree on Sept. 12, 2018; Abington Savings Bank in Avon on Sept. 14, 2018; and Crescent Credit Union in Brockton on Sept.14, 2018.

Each charge of bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years’ in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 and restitution in the amount of $11,250.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Commissioner William G. Gross of the Boston Police Department; Chief Emanuel Gomes of the Brockton Police Department;  Chief Jeffrey J. Bukunt of the Avon Police Department; Chief Mark W. Dubois of the Braintree Police Department; and Chief Patrick Keefe of the Andover Police Department made the announcement today.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit.